Chapter 9 - The Spare KeyThe next morning, Daniel went to his office before sunrise.
Claire objected.
Detective Ross objected more strongly.
“Don't remove anything,” she told him. “Don't confront employees. We have someone meeting you there.”
Daniel agreed.
He had no intention of confronting anyone.
He simply needed to see.
Mercer Development occupied the twelfth floor of a glass office building downtown. Daniel had built the company independently of his family trust, starting with three employees and a rented room.
He had always been proud of that.
Now even this place felt invaded.
Security logs showed Margaret's access card had entered the building eight times during the past month.
Daniel stared at the screen.
“Her card works after hours?”
The security manager nodded.
“You authorized unrestricted access.”
Of course he had.
Mom sometimes waits in my office.
She's family.
Daniel wanted to go back in time and shake himself.
Detective Ross arrived with a digital-forensics specialist.
They examined Daniel's office computer.
Within forty minutes, the specialist found remote-camera software installed under a generic system name.
Daniel stared at it.
“I've never seen that.”
“Someone tried to hide it.”
“When was it installed?”
The specialist checked.
“Approximately four months ago.”
“Can you tell who?”
“Not immediately.”
Ross looked around the office.
“Who has physical access?”
“My assistant. Cleaning staff. Security.”
“And Margaret.”
Daniel nodded.
“And my mother.”
There was a security camera in the corridor outside his office.
Daniel almost laughed from relief.
“Check the footage from the installation date.”
The security manager's expression changed.
“We retain video ninety days.”
Four months was outside the window.
Daniel cursed quietly.
Then his assistant, Jenna, arrived.
She looked startled to find police in the office.
Daniel explained only what was necessary.
“Did my mother ever use my computer?”
Jenna hesitated.
“Yes.”
Daniel felt the answer before she finished.
“How often?”
“I don't know.”
“Jenna.”
“She'd come in when you were in meetings.”
“And you let her?”
Her face reddened.
“She said you told her she could.”
“I never did.”
“I'm sorry.”
Daniel shook his head.
“This isn't your fault.”
Jenna looked relieved, then worried again.
“There was something weird.”
“What?”
“About two months ago she asked if we still had copies of your old employee background checks.”
Daniel frowned.
“Why?”
“She said she was helping you reorganize records.”
Claire's name had never been on an employee background check.
But someone else's had.
Daniel's former college roommate and current chief financial officer, Mark Ellison.
Daniel's pulse slowed.
“Did she ask for anyone specifically?”
Jenna nodded.
“Mark.”
Ross looked at him.
“Who is Mark?”
“My CFO.”
“Relationship with your mother?”
Daniel thought.
Margaret had always liked Mark.
Too much, Claire once joked.
She called him the kind of friend Daniel should listen to.
Mark also disliked Claire.
Or at least Daniel thought he did.
“Where is he?”
“Business trip.”
“When did he leave?”
“Yesterday morning.”
“Where?”
“Chicago.”
Jenna slowly shook her head.
“No.”
Daniel turned.
“What?”
“Mark canceled.”
“When?”
“Yesterday afternoon.”
Daniel felt something tighten in his chest.
“Where is he now?”
“I don't know.”
Ross immediately asked for Mark's contact information.
Daniel called.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
Then he remembered the anonymous messages sent to Claire from the hospital.
Someone knew Claire was there.
Margaret had appeared at the hospital.
Maybe she had sent them herself.
Or maybe someone else was helping.
“Did Mark know about the family dinner Saturday?” Claire asked later over the phone.
Daniel thought.
“Yes.”
“How?”
“I told him.”
“What did he say?”
Daniel remembered Mark's reaction.
You're not seriously thinking about getting back together with Claire, are you?
Daniel had laughed.
Mark hadn't.
“He thought it was a mistake.”
Claire went silent.
“Daniel…”
“I know.”
Police examined Mark's office after company counsel authorized access.
Nothing obvious.
Then Ross opened a drawer.
Inside was a photograph.
Daniel, Mark and Margaret at a charity gala.
Normal.
Except Claire had been standing beside Daniel in the original picture.
She had been cropped out.
Daniel stared.
“You've got to be kidding me.”
Ross searched another drawer.
She found an envelope containing cash.
Then a second envelope.
Inside were handwritten notes.
Most were ordinary business reminders.
One page wasn't.
D — Saturday dinner.
C returning dangerous.
M says action before weekend.
Daniel read it twice.
“M?”
Ross didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
Margaret.
Daniel's phone rang.
Mark.
Daniel looked at Ross.
She nodded.
He answered on speaker.
“Mark.”
“Hey. Jenna said you're looking for me.”
“Where are you?”
“Chicago.”
Daniel looked at Jenna.
She shook her head.
“Your trip was canceled.”
Silence.
Then Mark laughed.
“Yeah. I meant I'm outside Chicago.”
“Where?”
“Why?”
Daniel controlled his breathing.
“My daughter was attacked yesterday.”
Another pause.
“What?”
“My mother tried to force pills into Sophie's mouth.”
Mark said nothing.
That was wrong.
Any normal friend would ask whether Sophie was okay.
Instead Mark asked, “What did Margaret say happened?”
Ross's eyes narrowed.
Daniel felt ice move through him.
“You haven't asked if Sophie is okay.”
Mark breathed into the phone.
“Of course I care about Sophie.”
“Then why did you ask about my mother first?”
“Daniel, don't do this.”
“Do what?”
“Let Claire turn you against everyone.”
There it was.
Claire.
Daniel stared at the photograph without her.
“How do you know Claire is involved?”
Mark stopped.
“I assumed.”
“Why?”
“Because she's always involved.”
Daniel's voice dropped.
“Where are you?”
Mark hung up.
Ross immediately began working with investigators to locate him.
Daniel stood perfectly still.
Jenna looked frightened.
Then she said something that made him turn.
“There's one more thing.”
“What?”
“Margaret and Mark met here Tuesday.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“I didn't think it mattered.”
“Where?”
“Conference room B.”
“Was anyone else there?”
“No.”
“How long?”
“About an hour.”
Daniel looked toward Ross.
“Does that room have a camera?”
Jenna shook her head.
“No.”
Daniel's hope vanished.
Then she added:
“But the conference system automatically records meetings when someone activates transcription.”
Ross looked at her.
“Was transcription activated?”
Jenna walked to the control panel.
Her fingers moved quickly.
She opened the archive.
One audio file appeared.
Tuesday — 2:17 PM.
Duration: 58 minutes.
Daniel clicked play.
At first, only chairs moving.
Then Margaret's voice.
Perfectly clear.
Perfectly sharp.
Not confused at all.
“If Daniel lets Claire back into his life,” she said, “we lose control of him.”
A man's voice answered.
Mark.
“What do you want me to do?”
May you like
Margaret didn't hesitate.
“Whatever makes him believe she is dangerous again.”
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