Chapter 9 - BRENNA'S OFFER
Brenna came to the hospital three days later.
She did not ask permission.
She waited in the lobby until Elena agreed to see her.
Claire objected.
Elena insisted.
“I want to hear what she says when she thinks she still has something to offer.”
Two security officers remained outside the room.
Claire sat in the corner.
A recording device rested openly on the table.
Brenna entered wearing black.
For a moment, she looked like a grieving mother instead of a woman suspected of helping build a financial conspiracy.
“Elena.”
“Sit down.”
Brenna looked at Claire.
“I hoped we could speak as family.”
Elena almost smiled.
“You lost the right to use that word.”
Brenna sat.
Her eyes dropped to Elena's stomach.
“How is the baby?”
“Alive.”
The word landed hard.
Brenna's mouth tightened.
“I never wanted you hurt.”
“Then why did you take page fourteen?”
Brenna looked toward Claire.
“I was frightened.”
“Of what?”
“Your father.”
Elena shook her head.
“Try again.”
Brenna leaned closer.
“Diego is weak.”
Elena had not expected that.
“He always has been.”
“He wants admiration.”
“He wants money.”
“He wants powerful people to believe he belongs beside them.”
“But Victor Keane gave him something your father never did.”
“What?”
“Importance.”
Elena studied her.
“And you?”
“I tried to protect my son.”
“By drugging me?”
Brenna flinched.
“I did not drug you.”
“The audio mentions medication.”
“Victor handled things I knew nothing about.”
“Thomas says you ordered the camera gap.”
“Yes.”
Claire's pen stopped.
It was the first direct admission.
Brenna continued.
“I removed the beneficiary page because I knew how it would look.”
“It looks like you expected me to become incapacitated.”
“I expected a confrontation.”
Elena stared at her.
“With freezing water?”
“No.”
Brenna's voice cracked for the first time.
“Diego was supposed to frighten you into signing.”
“Nothing more.”
Elena felt sick.
“You knew he planned to terrorize his pregnant wife.”
“I knew he planned to pressure you.”
“There is no difference when the victim is the one trapped.”
Brenna looked down.
Then she removed a small flash drive from her purse.
Claire immediately stood.
“What is that?”
“Insurance.”
Brenna placed it on the table.
“Victor records people.”
“Meetings.”
“Calls.”
“Deals.”
“He keeps everything.”
“Why do you have it?”
“Because I stopped trusting him.”
Elena did not touch the drive.
“What do you want?”
Brenna looked directly into her eyes.
“Get Diego a reduced sentence.”
Claire laughed once.
“You are in no position to negotiate.”
Brenna ignored her.
“The drive contains recordings that can destroy Victor.”
“And possibly your father.”
Alvin was not in the room.
But his name changed the air.
Elena narrowed her eyes.
“What did my father do?”
“I don't know.”
“That is a lie.”
“I know Victor believed he had something.”
“Something old.”
“Something connected to the creation of Elena's trust.”
Claire took one step forward.
“Leave the drive.”
Brenna covered it with her hand.
“Agreement first.”
Elena stared at her mother-in-law.
Then she saw fear.
Real fear.
Not of prison.
Not of Alvin.
Of Victor Keane.
“Elena.”
Brenna lowered her voice.
“You think Diego is the monster in this story.”
“He is.”
“Yes.”
“But he is not the one Victor planned to sacrifice.”
Elena's stomach tightened.
“Who was?”
May you like
Brenna looked down at the baby beneath Elena's gown.
“Your daughter.”
