Chapter 8: The Third Child in Claire's Will
The house by the lake stood behind a row of tall pine trees.
It had once belonged to Claire's parents.
Marcus hadn't visited it in more than fifteen years.
The driveway was overgrown, the wooden porch sagged, and one of the upstairs windows had been boarded shut.
Detective Harper ordered her officers to surround the property.
Marcus refused to wait in the car.
"Mr. Hale, stay behind us.""
"My son is inside.""
"And we don't know who else is inside.""
Marcus stared at the house.
Then he heard something.
A voice.
"Ethan!""
He ran toward the porch.
The front door opened.
Ethan appeared.
His face was pale.
A small cut ran across his forehead.
Marcus rushed toward him.
"Are you hurt?""
"I'm fine.""
Marcus grabbed his shoulders.
"Don't ever disappear like that again.""
Ethan lowered his eyes.
"I'm sorry.""
Marcus pulled him into a hug.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then Ethan whispered:
"I found something.""
He led his father inside.
The living room was dusty, but someone had recently cleaned the fireplace.
On the coffee table sat an old wooden box.
Beside it was a photograph of Claire holding three babies.
Marcus stopped.
Three.
Not two.
Not one.
Three.
Ethan picked up the photograph.
"Look at the back.""
Marcus turned it over.
Claire's handwriting was unmistakable.
My three children. My greatest secret.
Marcus looked at his son.
"Three?""
Ethan nodded.
"Triplets.""
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
"Who was the third child?""
Before Ethan could answer, a voice came from the hallway.
"Me.""
A young woman stepped into the room.
She was perhaps twenty-five.
Dark hair.
Green eyes.
A small scar above her left eyebrow.
Marcus recognized the resemblance immediately.
Claire.
Not just a little.
It was as if he were looking at his wife when she was young.
The woman stared at him.
"You're Marcus.""
He nodded slowly.
"Who are you?""
She swallowed.
"My name is Laura Bennett.""
Marcus looked at Ethan.
"The woman from the camera?""
Laura nodded.
"Yes.""
"Why did you search Claire's bedroom?""
Laura's eyes filled.
"Because I was looking for something my mother told me to find.""
"Your mother?""
"Rebecca.""
Marcus stepped closer.
"Then who are you?""
Laura looked at the photograph.
"I'm the third baby.""
Silence filled the room.
Marcus studied her face.
"You're telling me Claire gave birth to triplets?""
Laura nodded.
"Yes.""
Ethan looked stunned.
"But why did Mom tell me there were only two?""
"Because Robert only knew about two.""
Marcus turned toward her.
"Why?""
Laura walked toward the fireplace.
"My mother was young. Robert didn't want three children. He said he couldn't afford the responsibility, even though he was already making millions.""
Marcus stared.
"So Claire raised one child, Rebecca raised another, and who raised you?""
Laura's voice softened.
"An older couple in Boston. They couldn't have children.""
Marcus looked at her.
"Did you know?""
"I found out when I was nineteen.""
"How?""
"Rebecca contacted me.""
Marcus shook his head.
"Why didn't you contact me?""
Laura looked down.
"Because I was afraid you would hate me.""
Marcus frowned.
"Why would I hate you?""
"Because Rebecca told me Claire had stolen me.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"That's not true.""
"I know that now.""
Laura opened the wooden box.
Inside were letters, photographs, and a small silver bracelet.
She picked up the bracelet.
"This was mine.""
Marcus looked at it.
Three tiny initials had been engraved inside.
S.
E.
L.
Sophie.
Ethan.
Laura.
Marcus touched the bracelet.
His hands trembled.
"Claire gave this to you?""
Laura nodded.
"She wanted us to have something connecting us.""
Marcus sat down.
He had spent four years believing he had lost one child.
Now he was discovering he had three.
And two of them had grown up without knowing who he was.
Ethan opened the wooden box.
Inside was a thick envelope marked with his name.
He handed it to Marcus.
"Mom left this for you.""
Marcus opened it.
The first page was a letter.
Marcus, if you are reading this, then the truth has finally reached you.
He continued.
I know you will be angry. You have every right to be. But I need you to understand that I never wanted to deceive you.
Marcus swallowed.
When I discovered Robert was stealing from the company, I also discovered that he had been using our children's identities to move money between accounts.
Marcus looked up.
"What?""
Laura nodded.
"That's what the documents are about.""
Marcus continued reading.
Robert had created accounts in the names of our children. Sophie, Ethan, and Laura. He believed that if anything happened to me, he could control the money through their identities.
Marcus felt sick.
I asked Rebecca to help me protect the children. She agreed. But I later discovered that she had begun working with Robert.
He stopped reading.
Ethan took the letter.
"There's more.""
Marcus nodded.
Ethan read aloud.
I made one final change to the trust. The three children are equal beneficiaries. No spouse, sibling, or outside relative can claim their inheritance if one of them is harmed.
Daniel, who had arrived with Detective Harper, stepped forward.
"That explains the amendment.""
Marcus looked at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
Daniel examined the letter.
"Because I never received this version.""
Laura shook her head.
"Robert took the original.""
Detective Harper looked toward the hallway.
"Where is Rebecca now?""
Laura's expression changed.
"I don't know.""
Ethan stepped forward.
"She's supposed to meet me here.""
Marcus turned.
"What?""
Ethan looked down.
"She contacted me last Tuesday. She said she wanted to explain everything.""
Marcus stared.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because I thought I could handle it.""
"You're twenty-one, Ethan. You don't have to handle everything alone.""
Ethan nodded.
"I know.""
A noise came from the back of the house.
Detective Harper immediately signaled her officers.
"Stay here.""
Two officers moved toward the kitchen.
Then a woman's voice called out.
"Laura?""
Laura turned sharply.
"Mom?""
Rebecca entered the living room.
She looked older than the photographs.
Her hair was streaked with gray.
Her hands trembled.
But her eyes were exactly the same as the woman in Claire's old photographs.
Marcus stood.
"Rebecca.""
She froze.
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then she looked at him.
"I'm sorry.""
Marcus laughed bitterly.
"That's all you have to say?""
Rebecca lowered her eyes.
"I know.""
"Where is my daughter?""
Rebecca looked confused.
"Which one?""
Marcus felt something break inside him.
"All of them.""
Rebecca began to cry.
"I tried to protect them.""
Laura stepped forward.
"By lying to us?""
"Laura, please.""
"You told me Claire abandoned me.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"I was trying to keep you safe.""
"From who?""
Rebecca looked toward the window.
"Robert.""
Detective Harper approached.
"Mrs. Bennett, you're going to need to come with us.""
Rebecca nodded.
"I understand.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"Did Robert cause Claire's accident?""
Rebecca's face crumpled.
She looked at him.
Then she nodded.
"Yes.""
Marcus closed his eyes.
The truth had finally been spoken.
But Rebecca wasn't finished.
"He didn't intend to kill her," she whispered.
Marcus opened his eyes.
"Then what did he intend?""
"To frighten her. To force her to hand over the documents.""
"Who was driving?""
Rebecca looked at Laura.
Then at Ethan.
Finally, she answered.
"Robert.""
Marcus felt his chest tighten.
"Where is he now?""
Rebecca reached into her coat and removed a small envelope.
"He's going to the airport.""
Detective Harper took it.
"How do you know?""
Rebecca's voice dropped.
"Because he called me ten minutes ago.""
She looked at Marcus.
"And he told me something I haven't told anyone.""
"What?""
Rebecca swallowed.
"Robert has another copy of Claire's final will.""
Daniel frowned.
"That's impossible.""
Rebecca shook her head.
"No. It's real.""
"Where?""
Rebecca looked toward the wooden box.
"Inside.""
Daniel immediately opened it.
He searched through the letters and photographs.
Then he found a sealed document beneath the false bottom.
The original will.
He examined the signatures.
Then the date.
His face changed.
"This is valid.""
Marcus looked at him.
"What does it say?""
Daniel read the final paragraph.
Then he looked up.
"Claire appointed someone as guardian of the children if anything happened to both parents.""
Marcus frowned.
"Who?""
Daniel hesitated.
Then he said:
"Robert Hale.""
Marcus stared.
"She appointed the man who killed her?""
Daniel shook his head.
"There's another condition.""
He turned the page.
"If Robert is found responsible for Claire's death, guardianship passes to the person named in the sealed attachment.""
He opened the final envelope.
Inside was a single sheet.
Marcus read the name.
Then he looked at Rebecca.
"You?""
Rebecca nodded.
"I was supposed to protect all three children.""
Laura stepped forward.
"But you didn't.""
Rebecca began to cry harder.
"No. I failed you.""
Detective Harper took Rebecca's arm.
"Mrs. Bennett, we need to go.""
Rebecca didn't resist.
But before leaving, she turned toward Marcus.
"There's one more thing.""
He stared at her.
"What?""
"Robert didn't work alone.""
Marcus felt the familiar coldness return.
"Who helped him?""
Rebecca looked directly at Daniel.
And whispered:
"Someone in this house has been protecting him from the beginning.""
Daniel's face went pale.
Detective Harper reached for her radio.
Then every light in the house went out.
A gunshot exploded from outside.
Ethan shouted.
Laura screamed.
May you like
And when the emergency lights came on, Rebecca was gone.
So was the original will.
