Chapter 3
Claire did not open the envelope.
Not yet.
She needed the people around it to keep talking.
Gabriel wanted one thing.
To make her distrust Julian.
Victoria wanted another.
To make her hate Andrew.
Julian wanted her to wait.
Which meant the envelope was not only evidence.
It was leverage.
Claire sat across from Gabriel.
“Tell me about the crash.”
He smiled.
“Finally.”
Julian said:
“Don’t.”
Claire ignored him.
Gabriel leaned back.
“Julian and Andrew were working together.”
“On what?”
“Dock routes.”
Julian interrupted:
“That’s incomplete.”
Gabriel laughed.
“Of course it is.”
Then to Claire:
“Your saintly brother discovered certain Vescari captains were moving weapons through Bennett territory.”
Claire’s eyes narrowed.
“Without permission?”
“Exactly.”
Gabriel smiled.
“He wanted proof.”
“Julian agreed to help.”
Claire looked toward Julian.
He nodded.
Gabriel continued.
“Then someone found out.”
“Who?”
He shrugged.
“Names cost.”
Claire stared.
Gabriel laughed.
“You thought I was suddenly useful because you punched me?”
Then crueler:
“You Bennett people always confuse pain with cooperation.”
Claire said:
“Funny.”
“What?”
“You just described yourself.”
His smile faded.
She continued:
“Victoria told you to drown Julian.”
Gabriel’s jaw tightened.
Claire leaned closer.
“You obeyed.”
Silence.
“Sounds cooperative.”
Julian almost smiled.
Gabriel looked away.
Claire continued:
“The crash.”
He sighed.
“Andrew was driving.”
Julian said:
“No.”
Gabriel snapped toward him.
“You want to lie now?”
“I was driving.”
Silence.
Claire looked at Julian.
Gabriel laughed bitterly.
“He’s protecting him again.”
Julian’s voice hardened.
“I was driving.”
Gabriel stood against the guards.
“You took the wheel because Andrew was injured.”
Julian stopped.
There.
Truth overlapping.
Claire caught it.
“Andrew was already hurt before the crash.”
No answer.
Gabriel smiled.
She had found the seam.
“What happened before the car?”
Silence.
Claire looked at Victoria.
Her face had gone pale.
“What did you do to him?”
Victoria scoffed.
“To who?”
“Andrew.”
“He was trespassing.”
Julian closed his eyes.
Claire’s expression changed.
“You attacked him.”
Victoria laughed.
“Your brother broke into a Vescari warehouse.”
“He was working with Julian.”
“That made it worse.”
She leaned forward.
“He thought Julian’s friendship gave him permission.”
Then crueler:
“Andrew always wanted access to rooms above his rank.”
Claire stared.
Victoria continued.
“So Gabriel taught him manners.”
Julian’s head snapped toward Gabriel.
Claire’s voice dropped.
“How?”
Gabriel smiled.
“Ask Andrew.”
Silence.
Then:
“Oh, right.”
Claire stood.
Gabriel’s smile widened.
“He’s dead.”
Julian moved faster than Claire expected.
One hand struck the table.
“Enough.”
Gabriel looked at him.
Then laughed.
“Still trying to protect Bennett feelings.”
Claire did not strike him.
She opened the envelope.
Everyone went silent.
Inside were three things.
The photograph.
A small brass key.
And a folded note.
Andrew’s handwriting.
Claire opened it.
Only one sentence.
IF JULIAN STILL TRUSTS VICTORIA AFTER READING THIS, THEN I WAS WRONG ABOUT HIM.
Julian stared.
Victoria’s face changed completely.
Not anger.
Fear.
May you like
And Claire realized Andrew had written the note for Julian—
not for her.
