Chapter 6 - MY DAUGHTER
I called Ellie before I reached the elevator.
She didn't answer.
Again.
Nothing.
My hands shook so badly I almost dropped the phone.
Robert called the police.
Rachel called the school.
I called Daniel.
He answered immediately.
“Claire?”
“Is your father picking Ellie up?”
“What?”
“Answer me.”
“No.”
My heart stopped.
“Richard is at her school.”
Daniel swore.
“Do not let him take her.”
“You think?”
“I'm coming.”
“No.”
“Claire—”
“Call the school yourself. Tell them Richard has no permission.”
The elevator doors opened.
We ran.
The school was eighteen minutes away.
We got there in eleven.
Three police cars were outside.
I jumped from Rachel's car before it fully stopped.
A teacher met me near the entrance.
“Mrs. Harrison.”
“Where is my daughter?”
“She's safe.”
My knees nearly collapsed.
“Where?”
“In the principal's office.”
I ran.
Ellie was sitting on a couch drinking water.
I pulled her into my arms.
“What happened?”
“Grandpa said Dad sent him.”
“Did you go with him?”
She gave me an offended look.
“No.”
Thank God.
“Why not?”
“Because he said Dad's middle name wrong.”
I stared.
“What?”
“He told the receptionist Daniel ‘James’ Harrison authorized pickup.”
My daughter's mouth twisted.
“Dad's middle name is Joseph.”
I started laughing.
Not because it was funny.
Because adrenaline had nowhere else to go.
“You remembered that?”
“He makes me write it on Father's Day cards.”
Of course he did.
I kissed her forehead.
“You are never allowed to complain about those cards again.”
She smiled weakly.
“Deal.”
The principal entered.
“Mr. Harrison left before police arrived.”
“Did he touch Ellie?”
“No.”
“Threaten her?”
“Not directly.”
Ellie looked down.
“What did he say?”
“He said Grandma Margaret poisoned me against the family.”
My jaw tightened.
“What else?”
“He said you were going to destroy Dad.”
“And?”
“He said I could stop you.”
“How?”
“He wanted me to tell him where Grandma's safe-deposit copies were.”
Richard thought Ellie knew.
Maybe because of the video.
“Did you tell him?”
“No.”
She looked almost insulted.
“Good.”
“Mom?”
“Yes?”
“Why is Grandpa scared of Grandma?”
I sat beside her.
“Because she kept records.”
“That's it?”
“No.”
I looked at my thirteen-year-old daughter.
Children know when adults are lying.
Especially intelligent children.
I chose a version of the truth she could carry.
“Your grandfather did things he doesn't want people discovering. Grandma discovered some of them.”
“Bad things?”
“Yes.”
“Illegal?”
“Maybe.”
“Did Dad know?”
I hesitated.
Ellie's face fell.
“He did.”
“Some.”
She looked toward the window.
“I hate him.”
My heart broke.
“You're angry.”
“I hate him.”
“You're allowed to feel whatever you're feeling.”
“Do you hate him?”
That question was harder.
“No.”
She turned sharply.
“How can you not?”
“Because love doesn't turn off like a lamp.”
“He cheated on you.”
“Yes.”
“He lied.”
“Yes.”
“He stole your company.”
“Yes.”
“Then what would he have to do before you hate him?”
I thought about it.
“If he hurt you deliberately, I might.”
Her eyes filled.
“He did hurt me.”
I froze.
“What?”
She looked down.
“Not like that.”
Relief came first.
Then dread.
“What did he do?”
“He lied to me too.”
I waited.
“Dad told me three months ago you wanted a divorce.”
I stopped breathing.
“He what?”
“He said you were unhappy.”
I could barely speak.
“When?”
“After I saw Lauren at home.”
Everything clicked.
Daniel had been preparing Ellie.
Not to tell me the truth.
To make her believe the marriage was already ending.
“What exactly did he say?”
“That sometimes adults stay together because they have kids.”
My stomach twisted.
“He said you wanted your own life.”
I closed my eyes.
I had never said anything remotely like that.
“He said I shouldn't blame you if you left.”
That bastard.
He hadn't only betrayed me.
He'd been building a story in our daughter's mind.
One where I abandoned them.
“Ellie, look at me.”
She did.
“I never planned to leave you.”
“I know.”
“No. I need you to hear it.”
I held her face.
“I have never wanted a life without you in it.”
She began crying.
“I know.”
I hugged her.
Over her shoulder, I saw Daniel standing in the doorway.
He had heard everything.
His face was destroyed.
Ellie saw him.
She pulled away from me.
Daniel took a step forward.
“Sweetheart.”
“Don't.”
He stopped.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“No.”
“Ellie—”
“You always say that.”
Daniel went still.
“You say you were protecting Mom.”
His eyes moved toward me.
“You say you were protecting the company.”
She wiped her face.
“You say you were protecting me.”
Her voice hardened.
“But every time you protect somebody, you're really protecting yourself.”
My thirteen-year-old daughter had just summarized her father better than twenty-two years of marriage had allowed me to.
Daniel looked as though she'd hit him.
Maybe she had.
“I'm sorry.”
Ellie looked away.
“I don't care.”
That hurt him.
I saw it.
Good.
Maybe some pain teaches.
Police wanted statements.
Daniel told them Richard had no authority to pick Ellie up.
I told them the same.
We added Richard to the school's permanent no-contact list.
Afterward, Daniel and I stood in the parking lot.
Ellie remained inside with Rachel.
“You told her I wanted a divorce?”
“I panicked.”
“You lied to our child.”
“Yes.”
“You made her prepare for me to abandon her.”
“I thought Lauren and I might—”
He stopped.
“Go ahead.”
He shook his head.
“Say it.”
“I thought I might leave.”
The words stabbed even though I already knew.
“For Lauren.”
“At the time.”
“At the time.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You were planning an exit while I was ordering flowers for your anniversary dinner.”
“I know.”
“I helped choose your speech.”
“I know.”
“I picked out your tie.”
“Claire.”
“Do you know what the worst part is?”
He looked at me.
“Not Lauren.”
My voice broke.
“It's that you made me participate in my own humiliation.”
He closed his eyes.
“I know.”
“No.”
I stepped closer.
“You're going to stop saying that.”
He opened his eyes.
“You don't know. Because if you knew, you wouldn't have done it.”
He swallowed.
“You're right.”
That was better.
Not enough.
But better.
I walked away.
“Claire.”
I stopped.
“My father didn't come here for the safe-deposit box.”
I turned.
“How do you know?”
“Because he already knows what's in it.”
“Then why Ellie?”
Daniel looked toward the school entrance.
“He thinks Margaret gave her something else.”
“What?”
“I don't know.”
My stomach tightened.
I remembered the video.
Ellie had said Grandma left instructions.
Not just the bank key.
I went back inside.
“Ellie.”
She looked up.
“When Grandma gave you instructions, what exactly did she give you?”
My daughter hesitated.
Then reached for her silver evening bag.
The same one from the awards dinner.
She opened a hidden zipper inside the lining.
And pulled out a folded piece of paper.
“I wasn't supposed to give you this unless Grandpa Richard tried to contact me alone.”
Daniel went pale.
I stared.
“When did Grandma give you that?”
“Before she died.”
“You were nine.”
“She told me to memorize where I put it.”
I opened the paper.
My mother's handwriting.
Claire,
If Richard ever approaches Ellie without you or Daniel present, it means he has run out of other ways to control the family.
Take Ellie somewhere safe.
Then go to 1847 North Kenmore.
Do not tell Daniel until you see what is there.
I looked up.
Daniel stared at the address.
“What?”
His face had gone white.
“I know that house.”
“How?”
He swallowed.
“My mother owned it.”
“Helen?”
“Yes.”
I looked back at the note.
Daniel continued.
“But she sold it before she died.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
He frowned.
“I don't remember.”
I folded the paper.
“Then we're finding out.”
Daniel reached for my arm.
“Claire, your mother specifically said not to tell me.”
“She also didn't know we'd be standing here together.”
“You shouldn't go alone.”
“I'm not going alone.”
He looked hopeful.
“You're not coming.”
Hope vanished.
“Robert and Rachel are.”
“Claire.”
I met his eyes.
“Twenty-two years ago, I trusted you automatically.”
May you like
I took one step back.
“From now on, you earn it.”
