"On what charge?"
"Possession of stolen property."
Mara stared at her husband.
"Do something."
Ethan looked at her.
"I will."
But his voice sounded different.
Not reassuring.
Afraid.
For the first time in eight years, Mara realized that Ethan Bennett was scared.
And whatever frightened him was connected to his dead sister.
The police eventually released Mara that evening because the evidence was inconsistent.
But the damage had already been done.
Photographs of her leaving the boutique spread online.
Someone had recorded the confrontation.
The headline appeared within an hour.
BILLIONAIRE'S WIFE QUESTIONED OVER STOLEN JEWELRY
Then another.
MYSTERY SURROUNDS JEWELRY LINKED TO BENNETT FAMILY
Mara sat in the back seat of Ethan's SUV while he drove through the city.
Neither spoke.
Finally she said:
"Tell me about Claire."
Ethan kept his eyes on the road.
"There isn't anything to tell."
"Her necklace was inside my bag."
"I know."
"Someone mentioned her before I even entered the store."
"I know."
"Someone knew the necklace would be there."
"I know."
Mara looked at him.
"You've said 'I know' three times."
Ethan remained silent.
"What aren't you telling me?"
He finally answered.
"Claire wasn't killed in an accident."
Mara felt the world stop.
"What?"
"The official report says it was an accident."
"Then what was it?"
Ethan tightened his grip on the steering wheel.
"Murder."
Mara stared at him.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because I didn't know who to trust."
"You didn't trust me?"
"I trusted you."
"Then why?"
"Because the person responsible may still be alive."
Mara's heart pounded.
"Who?"
Ethan didn't answer.
Instead, he pulled the SUV into an underground parking garage.
They entered a private elevator.
When the doors closed, Ethan finally spoke.
"Claire discovered something."
"What?"
"Money was being moved out of one of my companies."
"By whom?"
"I don't know."
"She did?"
"Yes."
"Did she tell you?"
"She tried."
"What happened?"
"I dismissed her."
Mara looked at him.
"Why?"
"Because I thought she was paranoid."
The elevator stopped.
Ethan led Mara into a private office she had never seen before.
He opened a safe.
Inside were documents.
Photographs.
A USB drive.
And Claire's old phone.
Mara stared.
"You kept her phone?"
"I found it in my car after she died."
"You told the police you didn't know where it was."
"I lied."
Mara stepped back.
"Why?"
"Because the phone contained a message."
"What message?"
Ethan handed her the phone.
The battery was dead.
He connected it to a charger.
After several minutes, the screen lit up.
There was one saved recording.
Claire's voice filled the room.
"Ethan, if you're hearing this, something happened to me."
Mara's skin prickled.
"I found the accounts."
Claire continued.
"Someone has been moving money through shell companies connected to Bennett Urban."
Ethan looked at Mara.
"Claire believed someone inside my company was stealing."
The recording continued.
"But it's bigger than that."
Claire paused.
"The person doing it has access to private records."
"They know about the accident investigation."
"They know about Mara."
Mara froze.
Her own name.
Claire had known about her.
"Why would she mention me?"
Ethan shook his head.
"I don't know."
The recording continued.
"If anything happens, don't trust the financial department."
Then it ended.
Mara stared at Ethan.
"Why did you never tell me?"
"Because seven years ago, I thought the message was meaningless."
"And now?"
"Now I think Claire knew exactly what was happening."
Mara sat down.
"Who had access?"
"Several executives."
"Names?"
Ethan opened another file.
There were four.
One was dead.
One had left the company.
One was missing.
The last name was still there.
Marcus Vane.
Ethan's chief financial officer.
Mara knew him.
He had attended their wedding.
He had been at Claire's funeral.
He had visited their house.
He had sent Mara flowers every anniversary of Claire's death.
Mara looked at the name.
"Marcus."
Ethan nodded.
"He's been with me for twelve years."
"Do you suspect him?"
"I suspect everyone."
Mara stood.
"Then why did someone put Claire's necklace in my bag?"
Ethan looked at her.
"Because they want me to believe you're involved."
"Or they want you to think I'm the target."
He stared.
Mara continued.
"What if the necklace isn't meant to incriminate me?"
"What else could it mean?"
"It could be a message."
Ethan frowned.
"To you."
Mara remembered the blue case.
The note.
The sentence.
The necklace will be placed in your bag.
She suddenly understood.
"Claire knew."
"What?"
"Whoever sent me to the boutique knew I'd find the necklace."
Ethan stared.
"Which means they expected me to bring it to you."
Silence.
Mara picked up the necklace.
She examined the clasp.
Something was engraved there.
A tiny number.
"What's that?"
Ethan leaned closer.
"I don't know."
Mara turned the necklace over.
There was another engraving.
A letter.
C.
Claire.
Ethan suddenly looked sick.
"That's not Claire's engraving."
"What?"
"Claire had another necklace."
Mara looked at him.
"This one was made recently."
She opened the clasp.
Inside was a tiny compartment.