Chapter 8: Everything He Touched
They worked through the night.
By midnight they had a list: the forged transfer document, the loan addendum with Derek Mercer's witness signature, six months of unauthorized bank transfers totaling nineteen thousand dollars, and a second account Claire hadn't opened in eight months — a joint savings account Julian had suggested "for household expenses" — now sitting at a balance of four hundred and twelve dollars.
It had held twenty-two thousand when Claire last checked.
"He moved it in increments," Marcus said, tracing the transaction history with his finger.
"Same pattern as the business account.
Always just under the alert threshold."
"He knew the thresholds," Claire said.
"He worked in finance before I met him.
He knew exactly what the banks watch for."
"That's not spontaneous.
That's planned."
"From the beginning," Claire said.
"I think from the very beginning."
She sat back in her chair.
The desk lamp cast a small circle of light.
The rest of the office was dark.
"I keep trying to find the moment," she said.
"The moment I should have seen it.
The first thing that was wrong."
"Don't," Marcus said.
"I need to understand how I—"
"Claire." He turned to face her.
"He was careful.
He was practiced.
He knew exactly what to show you and what to hide.
That's not your failure.
That's his crjme."
She was quiet.
"You saw it when it mattered," Marcus said.
"You kept that filing cabinet.
You didn't let him near it.
Some part of you knew."
"Some part of me was just messy."
"Same result."
She almost laughed.
It came out as something smaller — a breath, a release of pressure.
She pressed her fingers against her eyes.
"I need to sleep for two hours," she said.
"Before we go to the station."
"Go.
I'll stay up."
"Marcus—"
"I'm not tired.
Go."
She stood.
At the door she stopped.
"When I called you last week — I didn't tell you everything.
I just said I needed to see you.
I didn't say why."
"I know."
"How did you know to bring Officer Davis?"
Marcus was quiet for a moment.
"Lily called me."
Claire turned.
"What?"
"Three days ago.
She used the phone in the kitchen while Julian was watching television.
She told me she was scared.
She said Julian had been locking doors and she didn't know why." He paused.
"She asked me not to tell you she called.
She didn't want you to worry."
Claire stood in the doorway for a long moment.
Down the hall, Lily's bedroom light was off.
The house was still.
"She's seven," Claire said.
"She's extraordinary," Marcus said.
"Go sleep.
I'll wake you at six."
Claire went down the hall.
She stopped at Lily's door and opened it quietly.
Lily was asleep, the rabbit tucked under her chin, one arm thrown wide.
Claire stood there for a moment.
Then she pulled the door almost closed and went to her own room.
She set her alarm for six.
May you like
She lay down without changing her clothes.
She was asleep in under a minute.
