Chapter 6 - CLAIRE'S SECRET Daniel finally told Ethan the truth.
He had met Claire twelve years earlier.
She had approached him after discovering financial records connected to Argent.
At first, Daniel thought she was paranoid.
Then he saw the evidence.
Payments to judges.
Police officers.
Politicians.
Private contractors.
Even medical examiners.
Claire had uncovered a system designed to erase people.
Daniel had tried to help her.
But someone inside his own department betrayed them.
Claire disappeared.
Daniel was blamed.
His career ended.
And the investigation was buried.
Ethan listened without speaking.
Finally he asked:
“Why didn't you find her?”
“I tried.”
“For how long?”
“Years.”
“Then you stopped.”
Daniel looked at him.
“No.”
“I did.”
Ethan looked away.
Daniel continued.
“I stopped believing she was alive.”
A long silence.
Then Ethan reached into the envelope.
He removed another photograph.
This one had been taken recently.
Claire stood outside a small café.
Alive.
Daniel stared at it.
“When was this taken?”
“Three weeks ago.”
Daniel's face drained of color.
“You saw her?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“I don't know.”
Ethan pointed at the photograph.
“She left it for me.”
Daniel looked at the background.
A street sign.
A church.
A bus stop.
Then he saw the building number.
417.
His eyes widened.
“I know this place.”
“Where?”
“Chicago.”
Ethan frowned.
“We're not going there.”
“We have to.”
“Why?”
Daniel folded the photograph.
“Because if Claire is alive, she wants us to find her.”
“And if it's a trap?”
Daniel looked at him.
“Then we'll find that out too.”
Ethan shook his head.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“She told me one thing before she disappeared.”
Daniel waited.
“She said if anyone ever tried to help me, I should ask them one question.”
“What question?”
Ethan looked directly at him.
“Who did you fail to save?”
Daniel's expression changed.
May you like
Because there was only one person he had never stopped thinking about.
His daughter.
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