Chapter 19 - The Storm Approaches|
Ten minutes later, headlights flashed across my living room window.
I looked through the blinds. Graham’s black sedan pulled into the driveway, followed immediately by two unmarked silver SUVs. Four burly men in suits stepped out of the SUVs, taking up positions around the perimeter of my yard.
Graham ran up the porch steps and pushed through the front door, pulling me into a fierce, protective hug.
“They’re my firm’s private security detail,” Graham reassured me, framing my face with his hands. “Nobody is getting near you or Lily.”
We sat at the kitchen island while Graham reviewed my father's diary. He scanned the entries, his jaw tightening as he read the explicit details about Richard Vance’s offshore accounts and my mother’s betrayal.
“This changes everything, Claire,” Graham said, looking up at me. “Vanessa’s embezzlement at the wedding wasn't just a desperate grab for money. She was trying to transfer those funds to Richard Vance to pay off a cartel debt.”
“And my mother?” I asked softly.
“Your mother is desperate,” Graham replied coldly. “She lost her money, her reputation, and her status. She thinks that if she can get her hands on that ledger in Zurich, she can blackmail Vance into giving her millions.”
Suddenly, my phone rang on the counter.
It was an unknown international number.
Graham looked at me, nodding slowly. “Put it on speaker.”
I pressed the button with a trembling finger. “Hello?”
“Claire,” my mother’s voice came through the speaker. She sounded manic, breathless, and terrified. Winds howled in the background of her call.
“Mom?” I said.
“Listen to me, Claire!” Eleanor shrieked into the phone. “You have to fly to Zurich right now! You have to bring the key!”
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“I’m not coming to Zurich, Mom,” I said firmly. “It’s over. Turn yourself in to the embassy.”
“You don't understand!” Mom screamed, her voice breaking into hysterical sobs. “Richard knows about the diary! He knows Lily knows! He sent men to Newport, Claire! He’s coming for the flash drive!”
