Chapter 3: The Woman Who Was Paid to Stay Quiet
Adrian stepped into the hallway, phone pressed to his ear.
"Who is this?"
"My name is Donna Reyes." A pause.
"I was the night manager at the Lake Forest Motor Inn three years ago.
The night Claire Westwood d\*ed."
Adrian's hand tightened on the phone.
"Keep talking."
"I tried to go to the police.
Twice.
The first time, a man came to my house two days later and offered me forty thousand dollars to sign a statement saying I hadn't seen anything unusual that night." Another pause.
"I took it.
I'm not proud of that.
But I have a daughter and I was scared."
"What did you see?"
"Madison Cole checked into the inn at 6:14 that evening.
She was in room seven.
She wasn't alone."
Behind Adrian, he heard Natalie's sharp intake of breath.
She had followed him into the hall without him noticing.
"Who was with her?" Adrian asked.
"A man.
I didn't know his name then.
But I've seen him since." Donna's voice dropped.
"He's been on the news.
His name is Caleb Westwood."
The floor felt like it shifted under Adrian's feet.
Caleb.
His younger brother.
"You're certain."
"I have the registration card she signed.
I kept a copy.
I kept everything, Mr.
Westwood.
Because I knew someday someone would ask."
Adrian turned slowly.
Through the open bedroom doorway he could see Madison sitting on the edge of Claire's chaise, Natalie standing over her.
Margaret was in the corner, her back to the room, her hand pressed flat against the wall.
"What happened at the inn?" Adrian asked.
"They were there for about two hours.
Then Madison left alone.
She was on her phone when she walked out — I remember because she was crying.
Not sad crying.
Angry.
She said, 'Just make sure it looks right.' Then she got in her car and drove away."
"And Claire?"
Donna was quiet for a moment.
"Claire called the inn's front desk at 7:52 that night.
She asked if a Madison Cole was registered.
I told her yes.
She didn't say anything else.
She just hung up."
Adrian closed his eyes.
Claire had known.
She had tracked Madison to that inn.
That was why she had called him from the road.
*There's something I need to tell you about Madison.* She had been driving in a storm she hated, on a road she knew, trying to reach him before—
"Mr.
Westwood."
"I'm here."
"There's something else.
The man who came to my house with the money — the one who paid me to stay quiet — it wasn't Caleb Westwood."
Adrian opened his eyes.
"Then who was it?"
"He gave me a card," Donna said.
"Westwood Family Legal.
The name on the card was Gerald Fitch."
Gerald Fitch had been the Westwood family attorney for twenty-two years.
He had handled Claire's estate.
He had sat across from Adrian at the funeral and expressed his deepest condolences.
He had called Adrian last week to review the prenuptial agreement for the wedding with Madison.
"I need you to come in," Adrian said.
"Tonight."
"I know.
That's why I called." Donna paused.
"I saw the engagement announcement in the Tribune this morning.
I couldn't let it happen."
Adrian ended the call.
He stood in the hallway for three seconds without moving.
Then he walked back into Claire's bedroom.
Madison looked up.
Whatever she saw in his face made her press herself back against the chaise.
"Caleb was with you," Adrian said.
"At the Lake Forest Motor Inn.
The night Claire d\*ed."
The room went completely still.
Margaret's hand dropped from the wall.
"Adrian—" she started.
"Don't." He didn't raise his voice.
He didn't need to.
"Don't say a single word until I'm finished."
He looked at Madison.
"Claire called the inn.
She knew you were there.
She was on that road because she was coming to find you." He took one step forward.
"And someone made sure she never arrived."
Madison's chin lifted.
Something shifted behind her eyes — not remorse.
Calculation.
"You have a woman's phone call," she said quietly.
"That's all you have."
"I have her registration card.
I have a copy of the payment made to keep her quiet.
And I have three years of questions that just got answers." Adrian held up Claire's ring.
"And I have this."
Madison looked at the ring for a long moment.
Then she said, "You should talk to your brother before you do anything you can't undo."
It wasn't a suggestion.
It was a warning.
Adrian's phone buzzed.
A text from Caleb's number.
*Come downstairs.
Now.
May you like
We need to talk.
Alone.*
