Chapter 14: The Daughter They Buried Alive
Nobody spoke.
Helen Price stood beside the kitchen table, holding the photograph of the young woman.
Mom was trembling.
Dad looked at her as if he were seeing a stranger.
"Tell us," he said.
Mom shook her head.
"Please.""
"Tell us what happened to Claire.""
Helen answered.
"Robert took her from me.""
Mom looked up sharply.
"That's not true.""
Helen's eyes filled with anger.
"Then explain why you signed her death certificate.""
I stared at my mother.
"You signed it?""
She sank into a chair.
"I was trying to protect her.""
"From what?"" I demanded.
"From Robert.""
Helen opened her folder.
Inside were hospital records, court filings, and an old newspaper clipping.
"Claire was six when Robert came to my house. He said he had proof I was stealing company money. He threatened to take my son and have me arrested.""
Daniel's mother paused.
"I believed him. Thomas had already died, and I had no money to fight him.""
Dad looked at the papers.
"What happened to Claire?""
"She was sick. A serious infection. Robert arranged for her to be transferred to a private hospital. Eleanor was working for him at the time.""
Mom nodded slowly.
"I was an accountant for Whitmore Development. Robert told me Claire needed treatment outside the country.""
Helen's voice cracked.
"He told me she had died.""
Mom covered her face.
"He told me if I helped him, he would make sure she received medical care.""
"And you believed him?""
"I wanted to.""
Helen pushed a document toward Michael.
"This is the original hospital transfer authorization. Eleanor signed it.""
Michael examined the paper.
"There's a second signature.""
Mom looked up.
"Robert's.""
Dad leaned forward.
"Where did he take her?""
Mom swallowed.
"To a private care facility in Wisconsin. Under a different name.""
I felt sick.
"You knew she was alive?""
Mom nodded.
"For a while.""
"How long?""
"Until she was twelve.""
"And then?""
Mom began crying.
"Robert said she had been moved again. He said she was safe. He gave me an address, but when I went there, the building was empty.""
Helen stared at her.
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Robert threatened Marcus.""
I slammed my hand on the table.
"Stop using me as an excuse!""
Mom flinched.
"You were a child.""
"And now I'm an adult. I deserve the truth.""
She reached into her handbag and pulled out a small notebook.
"I kept every address, every payment, every name.""
Michael took it carefully.
"Why didn't you give this to the police?""
"Because the last page contains something Robert told me never to reveal.""
I opened the notebook.
The final page had one name written in blue ink.
*Claire Whitmore.*
Below it was an address.
A rehabilitation center in Milwaukee.
And a date.
Three days ago.
Helen grabbed the notebook.
"She's there?""
Mom nodded.
"I received a letter last week. She asked me to meet her.""
"Why didn't you tell me?"" Helen whispered.
"Because she said she didn't want Robert to know.""
Dad looked at me.
"We need to find her.""
Michael called the district attorney and explained the discovery.
An investigator agreed to accompany us.
But before we could leave, my phone rang.
Vanessa.
I answered.
"Where are you?""
Her voice was shaking.
"At the Whitmore estate.""
"Get out of there.""
"I can't.""
"Why?""
"Robert has someone here.""
"Who?""
She whispered:
"Claire.""
I froze.
"How did she get there?""
"I don't know. She came with a lawyer. Robert is trying to force her to sign something.""
Michael heard the conversation.
"Tell her not to sign anything.""
I spoke into the phone.
"Vanessa, listen carefully. Don't let Claire sign a single document.""
"I know. But there's something else.""
"What?""
"Robert says he has proof that Claire isn't his daughter.""
I looked at Helen.
She shook her head.
Vanessa continued.
"He says Thomas Price was her biological father.""
Helen's face went white.
"What?"" she whispered.
I repeated the question.
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"Robert says Claire was born from an affair between Thomas and Helen. He claims she has no right to the Whitmore estate.""
Helen took the phone.
"Vanessa, this is Helen Price. Is Claire there?""
"Yes.""
"Tell her I want to speak to her.""
A moment later, another voice came through.
"Mom?""
Helen closed her eyes.
"Claire.""
The woman on the other end began crying.
"I've been trying to find you.""
Helen pressed the phone against her chest.
"Baby, I'm here.""
Claire spoke again.
"Robert told me you abandoned me.""
"I never abandoned you.""
"He said you signed the papers.""
"I was forced.""
A long silence followed.
Then Claire said:
"I have something you need to see.""
"What?""
"A recording.""
The line crackled.
Claire continued.
"Robert admitted he arranged my disappearance because he needed Thomas's shares. But there's something worse.""
"What?""
"He said he didn't just hide me. He changed my identity.""
Michael leaned closer.
"Claire, this is Michael Hayes. Can you tell us what identity he gave you?""
She hesitated.
Then she answered.
"My name was never Claire Whitmore.""
Helen looked confused.
"What do you mean?""
"My birth certificate says Claire Price.""
Daniel's mother began to cry.
Claire continued.
"Thomas was my biological father.""
Helen covered her mouth.
Robert had concealed his brother's daughter, just as he had concealed the truth about Marcus.
He had used family secrets as weapons.
But Claire wasn't finished.
"I found the original trust document," she said.
"It lists every beneficiary.""
Michael asked:
"Who else is named?""
Claire took a breath.
"Marcus Bennett. Vanessa Whitmore. Daniel Price. And me.""
Dad looked at me.
"Four heirs.""
Claire whispered:
"But Robert changed one name.""
"Whose?""
There was a sudden crash on the phone.
Vanessa screamed.
Then Robert's voice came through.
"That's enough, Claire.""
The line went dead.
I grabbed my coat.
Michael blocked the door.
"Wait. We're not going there without the investigators.""
"She's in danger.""
"Which is why we need to do this correctly.""
Dad looked at him.
"Then call them.""
Michael made the call.
Within minutes, two investigators were on their way.
We drove toward the Whitmore estate with Helen beside us and Dad in the back seat.
No one spoke.
When we arrived, the front gate stood open.
The house was dark.
A security guard lay unconscious beside the driveway.
Vanessa's car was still parked near the entrance.
We rushed inside.
The living room was empty.
A glass had shattered on the floor.
A folder lay open on the sofa.
I picked it up.
It contained a revised Northstar ownership agreement.
Four beneficiaries had been listed.
But Claire's name had been crossed out.
In its place was another name.
*ELEANOR BENNETT.*
I turned toward Mom.
She stared at the document in horror.
"I never agreed to this.""
Then we heard footsteps upstairs.
A door slammed.
Dad shouted:
"Marcus!""
I ran toward the staircase.
At the top, Vanessa stood in the hallway, her face pale.
"He's gone," she said.
"Where's Claire?""
Vanessa pointed toward the bedroom.
I entered.
The window was open.
On the bed lay Claire's phone and a small envelope.
Inside was a handwritten note.
If Robert gets away, he'll destroy every record. The only way to stop him is to find the original trust amendment.
At the bottom was a location.
*Northstar's original headquarters — basement vault.*
Dad stared at the note.
"That building was demolished years ago.""
Michael looked at the address.
"No.""
He pulled out his phone and checked an old property map.
"The building was demolished. The basement vault wasn't.""
Then his phone rang.
The district attorney's investigator was calling.
Michael answered.
His expression changed.
"What's happened?""
He listened.
Then he looked at me.
"Robert Whitmore has just been arrested.""
I exhaled.
Finally.
But Michael wasn't finished.
"The investigators found him carrying a passport, a large amount of cash, and a second identity.""
I frowned.
"What identity?""
May you like
Michael lowered the phone.
"Thomas Price.""
