Chapter 7 - BROOKE'S MESSAGE
Daniel contacted law enforcement.
By the time officers reached the gas station, Marcus and Brooke were gone.
Traffic cameras showed a black SUV heading south.
Then disappearing from coverage near a rural highway.
I called Evelyn.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Claire.”
Her voice was warm.
Too warm.
“Have you spoken to your brother today?”
A pause.
“No.”
“That's interesting.”
“Why?”
“Because he's traveling with Brooke.”
Silence.
Then a soft laugh.
“Brooke Whitmore?”
“Yes.”
“I don't know anything about that.”
“Do you know anything about Whitmore Strategic Holdings?”
The silence lasted longer.
Evelyn sighed.
“Claire, you're going through a traumatic family event.”
There it was again.
The tone.
Gentle.
Concerned.
Designed to make me sound irrational before I had even raised my voice.
“I asked a simple question.”
“I think you need rest.”
“I think you need a lawyer.”
Her voice hardened.
“Be careful.”
Daniel motioned for me to keep her talking.
“Is that a threat?”
“No.”
“What is it?”
“Professional advice.”
“You introduced me to Ryan.”
“I introduced hundreds of people at networking events.”
“You paid Grant Whitmore before I married his son.”
No response.
I continued.
“You were at the fundraiser when Ryan approached me.”
“Claire.”
“You told me there was someone I should meet.”
Her breathing changed.
Then she said quietly, “Some doors should stay closed.”
The call ended.
Daniel looked at me.
“That was a threat.”
Mara nodded.
“And an admission that she knows more.”
Before we could discuss it further, my phone displayed an incoming video call.
Brooke.
I answered immediately.
The image shook.
Darkness.
A ceiling.
Then Brooke's face appeared.
She was crying silently.
“Brooke, where are you?”
“I don't know.”
Her voice was almost a whisper.
“I got away.”
“From Marcus?”
“He took my phone.”
“How are you calling?”
“There's another phone here.”
Daniel moved closer.
“Brooke, look around and tell us what you see.”
She turned the camera.
A small room.
Wood walls.
One window.
Snow outside.
“Some kind of cabin.”
“Can you leave?”
“The door is locked.”
My stomach tightened.
“Why did Marcus take you?”
“Because of the folder.”
“What was inside?”
Brooke looked toward the door.
“Pictures.”
“Of what?”
“You.”
My chest tightened.
“What kind of pictures?”
“You before you met Ryan.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Where?”
“Work.”
“Restaurants.”
“Your apartment.”
“Your gym.”
The room felt smaller.
“They watched me?”
“For almost a year.”
Brooke wiped her face.
“There were reports too.”
“Reports about what?”
“Your income.”
“Your stock.”
“Your family.”
“Your habits.”
“Everything.”
Daniel whispered, “Ask about other women.”
“Brooke, were there other files?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“I only saw six.”
She looked suddenly terrified.
“Claire, your file had a red stamp.”
“What did it say?”
Brooke swallowed.
“PRIORITY.”
A sound came from outside the room.
Brooke froze.
Footsteps.
She whispered, “He's back.”
“Brooke, hide the phone.”
She lowered it.
The camera showed only the floor.
The door opened.
Marcus's voice entered the room.
“You really do make everything difficult.”
Brooke didn't answer.
Then Marcus said something that made every person at my table go completely still.
“Your brother was supposed to control Claire.”
May you like
A pause.
“He failed.”
