Chapter 6 - THE WOMAN THEY TRIED TO FRAMEFederal agents arrived at six in the morning.
Clara was pouring cereal for Leo.
Vincent entered the kitchen.
“Take Leo upstairs.”
She saw his face.
“What happened?”
“Now.”
Then came pounding at the front doors.
“Federal warrant!”
Clara froze.
Vincent crouched beside Leo.
“Go with Teresa.”
Leo looked frightened.
“Is Mommy coming?”
“Yes.”
Vincent looked at Clara.
“Eventually.”
She did not like that word.
Agents flooded the mansion.
Daniel Graves entered last.
Forty-five.
Perfect tie.
Television smile.
He held the warrant himself.
“Vincent Calvetti.”
Vincent said nothing.
Graves turned to Clara.
“And Mrs. Calvetti.”
“I’m not sure why you sound pleased.”
Graves smiled.
“Search everything.”
For four hours, agents opened drawers, removed computers and photographed rooms.
Then one called from Clara’s bedroom.
“Found something.”
Clara followed.
An agent held a leather ledger.
She had never seen it.
Graves opened it.
Numbers.
Payments.
Names.
Her name.
Clara stared.
“That isn’t mine.”
“Found in your closet.”
“It was planted.”
Graves looked amused.
“By whom?”
“Your friend Anthony.”
Vincent’s expression sharpened.
Graves smiled.
“Careful.”
They arrested Clara.
Vincent stepped forward.
Every agent in the room reacted.
Hands moved toward weapons.
Clara saw his face.
“Vincent.”
He looked at her.
“Don’t.”
“They are not taking you.”
“Yes, they are.”
“You did nothing.”
“Then Rachel will fix it.”
His fists tightened.
Clara moved closer.
“Leo is upstairs.”
That stopped him.
“Do not let him see me arrested.”
Something broke in Vincent’s expression.
She touched his hand.
“Take care of him.”
Graves watched.
Interesting.
Too interesting.
Clara realized.
This was what he wanted.
Vincent angry.
Vincent violent.
Vincent proving every allegation.
She kissed Vincent’s cheek.
“Behave.”
Graves laughed.
Vincent looked at him.
Graves stopped laughing.
Clara spent fourteen hours in custody.
Rachel arrived within ninety minutes.
The ledger contained payments associated with companies Clara had once processed at Lakeview Produce.
It looked devastating.
Except Clara noticed something.
“Page forty-three.”
Rachel turned.
“What?”
“The invoice number.”
“8172-C.”
“That format wasn’t introduced until 2022.”
“So?”
“The entry is dated 2019.”
Rachel stared.
Clara smiled.
“They forged it using the wrong accounting template.”
Rachel immediately called forensic experts.
By evening, the government’s central evidence began collapsing.
Graves had moved too quickly.
The ledger contained paper manufactured after several listed dates.
Digital signatures referenced software versions that did not yet exist.
Clara was released.
Vincent waited outside.
No entourage.
No dramatic convoy.
Just Vincent beside a black car.
She stopped.
He crossed the sidewalk.
Then wrapped both arms around her.
Clara buried her face against him.
Neither spoke for almost a minute.
When they separated, Vincent touched her cheek.
“Are you hurt?”
“No.”
“Did anyone touch you?”
“No.”
“Threaten you?”
“Vincent.”
He stopped.
“I’m okay.”
He nodded.
Then kissed her forehead.
Inside the car, Clara asked, “Leo?”
“Asleep.”
“He didn’t see?”
“No.”
“He asked where I was?”
“Yes.”
“What did you say?”
“That you were solving a problem.”
She smiled.
“That’s good.”
“He told me you always do.”
Clara looked out the window so Vincent would not see her cry.
Back at the mansion, Leo ran down the stairs in pajamas.
“Mom!”
She caught him.
“I thought you were asleep.”
“I lied.”
“You’re five.”
“I’m good at it.”
Vincent muttered, “He is.”
Later, after Leo finally slept, Clara found Vincent on the balcony.
Chicago lights glittered below.
“Graves is corrupt,” she said.
“Yes.”
“Can we prove it?”
“Not yet.”
“What about Mason?”
“He recorded several conversations.”
“With Anthony?”
“Yes.”
“With Graves?”
“One.”
“Enough?”
“Maybe.”
Clara leaned against the railing.
“What happens if we expose him?”
“Anthony becomes desperate.”
“He already kidnapped a child.”
“He can become worse.”
Clara looked at Vincent.
“I’m tired of being afraid.”
“So am I.”
She smiled sadly.
“You don’t look afraid.”
“That’s because you don’t know me as well as you think.”
She turned.
“What are you afraid of?”
His answer came immediately.
“Losing you.”
Clara stopped.
Vincent continued.
“I spent years being told I had no future because I couldn’t produce an heir.”
His voice was quiet.
“I stopped caring.”
She listened.
“Then you arrived.”
“Calling your business stupid.”
“Yes.”
“Strong opening.”
“The worst.”
She smiled.
Vincent’s expression softened.
“Now there is a child asleep upstairs who asks me to repair airplanes.”
Clara swallowed.
“And a woman who argues with me about everything.”
“I don’t argue about everything.”
“You argued about towels.”
“They were absurdly expensive.”
“And somehow…”
His voice failed him.
Clara stepped closer.
“Somehow what?”
“I have something to lose.”
She touched his hand.
“Vincent.”
“I don’t know how to do this.”
“Do what?”
“Be part of someone’s family.”
Clara looked at him for a long moment.
“You show up.”
“That’s it?”
“No.”
She smiled.
“You also stop buying eight-hundred-dollar towels.”
He laughed.
Then kissed her.
This time there was no hesitation.
Later that night, Samuel called.
Graves had disappeared.
So had Anthony.
But something else had vanished too.
Six million dollars from one of Vincent’s legitimate companies.
The transfer had been authorized using Clara’s credentials.
Someone was framing her again.
May you like
Except this time the money had not gone overseas.
It had gone into an account under Leo Jenkins’s name.
:max_bytes(150000):strip_icc():focal(1048x378:1050x380)/Jenna-Bush-Hager-100223-c94955eb572d47ea815a340c18c6e771.jpg)
