Chapter 2 - The File They Never Wanted Me to See
Susan arrived at my apartment at eight in the morning carrying two coffees and a look that told me neither of us was going to enjoy the day.
“Drink.”
I took the coffee.
“What did you find?”
She dropped a folder on the table.
“There are two Riversones.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“One is the public company. Medical supplies, hospital contracts, logistics, the clean version. The other exists through private investment entities.”
She opened the folder.
“Private security. Warehousing. Transportation. Cash-heavy acquisitions.”
I looked at her.
“You think they’re laundering money?”
“I think I need more evidence before using that word.”
She turned a page.
“But I do think the Parkers have been hiding significant parts of their business from you.”
“Ethan too?”
“Yes.”
The answer hurt more than I expected.
I sat down.
“Why would he involve me?”
“I don’t know.”
“But my signature.”
“I believe you never signed it.”
Susan slid another page toward me.
“This document was filed six months ago. It gives Ethan authority over a trust tied to Riverstone.”
I stared.
“Why would I be connected to his trust?”
“You aren’t.”
“Then why is my name on it?”
“Because someone wanted it to look like you were.”
I felt cold.
“Framing me.”
“Maybe.”
She closed the folder.
“There’s more.”
She handed me a photograph.
It showed a dark-haired man standing beside an older woman.
I recognized the older woman immediately.
Margaret.
The younger man wasn't Ethan.
At least, not exactly.
He looked like Ethan, but harder.
“Who is that?”
“His uncle. Vincent Parker.”
I had heard the name once.
Ethan had told me Vincent was living in Arizona.
Susan shook her head.
“He died six years ago.”
I looked at the photograph again.
“What did he do?”
“Officially? Real estate.”
“And unofficially?”
Susan leaned back.
“Organized crime.”
I laughed.
Not because it was funny.
Because the alternative was screaming.
“You’re telling me my fiancé’s family is connected to the mafia?”
“I’m saying there’s enough evidence that someone in federal law enforcement has been interested in them for years.”
I pushed the photograph away.
“No.”
“Claire.”
“No. Ethan is not—”
A notification appeared on my phone.
Unknown number.
I opened the message.
STOP SEARCHING.
A second message appeared.
YOU HAVE NO IDEA WHO YOU’RE PLAYING WITH.
Susan saw my face.
“What?”
I showed her.
She immediately became serious.
“We're going to the office.”
“No.”
She stared.
“I need to know where Ethan is.”
“Claire, this is dangerous.”
“I know.”
That afternoon, Ethan’s assistant called me.
Her name was Natalie.
I had met her dozens of times, but I had never noticed how nervous she always seemed around the Parker family.
“Ms. Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“I need to see you.”
“Why?”
“I can’t explain on the phone.”
We met in a quiet cafe.
Natalie looked exhausted.
She placed a small envelope on the table.
“Mr. Parker asked me to give you this if something happened.”
I stared at the envelope.
“What do you mean, if something happened?”
She swallowed.
“He had been receiving threats.”
“When?”
“For months.”
“Why didn’t he tell me?”
“He thought telling you would put you in danger.”
I opened the envelope.
Inside was a handwritten note.
Claire,
If you're reading this, I failed to keep you away from my family.
Trust Susan.
Do not trust my mother.
Do not let anyone convince you that what happened to my uncle was an accident.
And whatever you do, stay away from Riverstone after midnight.
I read it twice.
“What happened to his uncle?”
Natalie shook her head.
“I don’t know.”
“Then why is Ethan afraid?”
She looked around the cafe.
“I think Mr. Parker has been trying to leave.”
“Leave what?”
“The business.”
That made no sense.
“He owns it.”
“Not really.”
She lowered her voice.
“His father died when Ethan was twenty-six.”
“I know.”
“He didn’t die in a car accident.”
The room seemed to tilt.
“What happened?”
“His brakes were cut.”
I stared at her.
“Who did it?”
Natalie stood.
“I’ve already said too much.”
She left.
That evening, I received a call from a hospital.
A nurse introduced herself as Elena Rodriguez.
“Are you Claire Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“Are you related to Ethan Parker?”
I hesitated.
“I was his fiancée.”
There was a pause.
Then Elena said quietly:
“He asked for you.”
My blood ran cold.
“What happened?”
“He was brought in twenty minutes ago.”
“How?”
“Head trauma. Internal bleeding. Possible spinal damage.”
I stood so fast my chair fell backward.
“What hospital?”
She gave me the name.
“I’m coming.”
“No,” Elena said.
I stopped.
“What?”
“Come if you need to. But don't come alone.”
I looked toward my apartment door.
“Why?”
“Because three men came in with him.”
“Friends?”
“No.”
“Family?”
“No.”
“Then who?”
Elena hesitated.
“I think they were there to make sure he didn't leave the hospital alive.”
I grabbed my coat.
Susan appeared in the doorway.
She had a duffel bag over one shoulder.
“What happened?”
“Ethan is in the hospital.”
She didn't ask how.
She simply said:
“Then we're going together.”
The hospital was crowded.
Emergency lights reflected against wet pavement.
Ethan was behind a restricted-access door.
Elena met us in the corridor.
She was in her early thirties, with tired eyes and a calm voice.
“Are you Claire?”
“Yes.”
“Elena Rodriguez.”
Her handshake was firm.
She looked at Susan.
“Attorney?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Elena pulled us closer.
“He arrived unconscious. Whoever brought him in said he fell down a staircase.”
Susan exchanged a look with me.
“That’s not what happened?”
“No.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I've treated falls.”
She folded her arms.
“His injuries don’t fit.”
My chest tightened.
“What kind of injuries?”
“Someone struck him in the head. Hard.”
“And his back?”
“Eliminate movement. His lower body isn't responding normally.”
I closed my eyes.
Ethan had been holding his back two nights earlier.
The hospital doors opened.
Two men in expensive suits stepped out of the restricted wing.
Elena's expression changed instantly.
“They're back.”
One man walked toward us.
“Ms. Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“We're here on behalf of the Parker family.”
“I don't know you.”
“You don't need to.”
He smiled.
“You should go home.”
Elena stepped between us.
“You're not his legal guardian.”
The man turned.
“This doesn't concern you.”
Elena didn't move.
“It concerns me because he's my patient.”
The man took another step.
Elena raised her voice.
“Security.”
He stopped.
For the first time, he looked uncertain.
“You’re making a mistake.”
“No,” Elena said. “I'm doing my job.”
Security guards arrived.
The men left.
I looked at Elena.
“Thank you.”
She nodded.
Then her expression softened.
“You should know something else.”
“What?”
“Ethan woke up for eleven seconds.”
My breath caught.
“What did he say?”
Elena looked directly into my eyes.
“He said your name.”
May you like
Then she added:
“He also said, ‘They’re going to blame Claire.’”
