Chapter 3 - The Photograph That Proved Claire Had Not Betrayed HimThree days passed.
No body.
No ransom demand.
No call.
No clue.
Mason barely slept.
The city began whispering.
People assumed Claire was dead.
Some believed she ran.
Others thought the Quinn family had taken revenge.
Mason believed none of them.
Because he had one thing nobody else had.
He knew Claire.
She would never disappear willingly.
On the fourth morning, Vince entered the office.
“We found something.”
Mason looked up.
“What?”
“A camera.”
“Where?”
“Private property near Rivercrest.”
“Show me.”
The footage showed Claire walking toward the garden center.
Then Jonah's car.
Then the SUV.
Then another vehicle.
Mason leaned closer.
“Pause.”
A figure stepped out.
Blond hair.
Black coat.
Mason froze.
“Vanessa.”
Vince nodded.
She had followed them.
She had been there.
The next frame showed Vanessa speaking to someone.
A man.
Older.
Gray hair.
Mason recognized him.
His uncle.
Victor Vale.
Mason's father’s younger brother.
A man officially dead for eight years.
Mason's blood ran cold.
“Find him.”
Vince shook his head.
“We can't.”
“Why?”
“Because he's been moving through shell companies for years.”
Mason slammed his fist against the desk.
“Then burn the shells.”
Vince looked at him.
“What?”
“Everything.”
Mason walked to the window.
“He took Claire.”
“We don't know that.”
“I know.”
“And if you're wrong?”
Mason turned.
“Then I'll apologize to the ghost.”
The search began.
They found Vanessa first.
She was staying at a hotel under a false name.
Mason entered her room without knocking.
She screamed.
“What are you doing?”
“Where is Claire?”
“I don't know.”
“You were on Rivercrest.”
Vanessa went pale.
“I was following you.”
“Why?”
“I wanted to know who she really was.”
Mason grabbed the photograph.
“You met Victor.”
“I did.”
“What did he want?”
Vanessa's lips trembled.
“He said Claire knew where something was.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
Mason stepped closer.
“Try again.”
She swallowed.
“The ledger.”
Mason froze.
“What ledger?”
“Your father's old ledger.”
He remembered.
The document that had disappeared after his father's death.
The one everyone assumed contained evidence of financial corruption.
The one Mason had spent years trying to locate.
“What does Claire have to do with it?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Ask her.”
“If I knew where she was, I would.”
“She was searching for it.”
Mason stared.
“Why?”
“To protect Natalie.”
His eyes narrowed.
“What?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Claire wasn't spying on you.”
“She was investigating someone.”
“Who?”
“Your uncle.”
Mason went completely still.
Vanessa continued.
“Claire discovered Victor was alive.”
“And then?”
“She met Jonah.”
“Why?”
“Because Jonah had information.”
Mason's mind raced.
“Then why did the photographs make it look like she betrayed me?”
Vanessa looked down.
“Because I edited them.”
He stared at her.
“You destroyed my marriage.”
Vanessa cried.
“I loved you.”
“No.”
His voice became ice.
“You loved what being Mrs. Vale would have given you.”
She whispered:
“I knew you'd never choose me.”
Mason looked at her.
“I didn't choose Claire because she was useful.”
“Then why?”
“Because she was the only person who saw me without the name.”
He turned away.
“Where is Victor?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“I don't know.”
“Then you're coming with me.”
“No.”
“Vanessa.”
She looked terrified.
“He'll kill me.”
Mason paused.
“Who?”
“Victor.”
“Why?”
“Because I made a mistake.”
“What mistake?”
“I told him Claire was alone.”
Mason's blood turned cold.
“You gave him the location.”
Vanessa nodded.
Mason stared at her.
Then walked away.
Behind him, Vanessa whispered:
“She was alive when I saw her.”
Mason stopped.
“How long?”
“Four hours after the crash.”
His heart slammed against his chest.
“Where?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“A warehouse near the old river terminal.”
Mason turned.
For the first time in four days, hope entered his face.
He called Vince.
“Open every warehouse.”
“Which one?”
“Old river terminal.”
Silence.
Then:
“Sir?”
“Claire may be alive.”
Vince's voice changed.
May you like
“We'll find her.”
This time, Mason believed they would.
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