CHAPTER 6 The Voice Hidden Inside Claire’s Recording
CHAPTER 6 The Voice Hidden Inside Claire’s Recording
The Westwood mansion had never been this silent.
Not even on the night Claire died.
Adrian Westwood stood in the center of the ballroom, staring at the frozen screen.
The video was gone.
The final message remained.
VIDEO INTERRUPTED.
Three words.
But they carried more weight than any confession.
Someone had tried to erase Claire’s final message.
Someone had tried to make sure Adrian never saw it.
And the terrifying part was simple.
That person had access to the house.
Adrian slowly turned away from the computer.
His eyes moved across every person standing in the room.
His mother.
Madison.
Daniel Hart.
The employees.
The guests who had witnessed everything.
Everyone suddenly looked like a possible suspect.
“Who stopped the video?”
Nobody answered.
Adrian looked at the security guards.
“Check the system.”
The guards immediately moved.
“Yes, Mr. Westwood.”
Madison took a careful step forward.
“Adrian, please.”
He looked at her.
“What?”
Her voice shook.
“Don’t do this in front of everyone.”
Adrian stared at her.
“Why?”
Madison swallowed.
“Because you are angry.”
“No.”
His voice was calm.
That calmness frightened her more.
“I am finally paying attention.”
The words hit her hard.
Natalie stood beside Adrian.
For years, she had wanted someone to question what happened to Claire.
Now that it was happening, she realized the truth might destroy everyone.
Daniel Hart adjusted his suit.
“Mr. Westwood.”
Adrian looked at him.
“You should be careful.”
“About what?”
“About believing incomplete information.”
Adrian stepped closer.
“Interesting.”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“Everyone who has something to hide says the same thing.”
The attorney’s expression tightened.
“You are accusing me?”
“I’m asking questions.”
“No.”
Daniel looked around.
“You are creating a public accusation based on a damaged video and a child’s statement.”
Adrian’s eyes narrowed.
“Then why did Emma recognize you?”
The room became quiet.
Daniel looked at the little girl.
For the first time, his confidence disappeared.
Only briefly.
But Adrian saw it.
“You know her.”
Daniel immediately shook his head.
“No.”
Emma stepped closer to Rachel.
The little girl looked frightened.
Adrian noticed.
He lowered himself beside her.
“Emma.”
She looked at him.
“Are you okay?”
The child nodded slowly.
“Did you see him before?”
Emma looked at Daniel.
Then she looked down.
“He was angry.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“When?”
Emma hugged her rabbit.
“Before the blue lady came.”
Nobody spoke.
Adrian stood slowly.
“What blue lady?”
Emma pointed at Madison.
“She was crying.”
Madison closed her eyes.
“Stop.”
The word came out almost like a whisper.
Adrian turned.
“Stop what?”
Madison looked at him.
“I don’t want a child involved in this.”
Adrian stared.
“Neither do I.”
His voice softened.
“But somehow she knows more than all of us.”
The security guard returned.
“Mr. Westwood.”
Adrian turned.
“We checked the system.”
“And?”
The guard hesitated.
“There was a manual interruption.”
“From where?”
The guard looked uncomfortable.
“Your private office.”
The room went completely silent.
Adrian’s face changed.
His office.
The one place in the mansion where only he, his assistant, and his family members had access.
He looked toward Margaret.
Then Madison.
Then Daniel.
Someone had entered his office.
Someone had stopped Claire’s video.
Someone wanted the truth buried.
“Who was in my office tonight?”
The guard looked at the tablet.
“We are checking.”
Adrian walked away from the crowd.
His mind was racing.
Claire had hidden the ring.
She had recorded a message.
She had warned him.
But why?
Why hide everything instead of telling him directly?
Then he remembered something.
A conversation from three years ago.
The night before the accident.
Claire had called him.
She sounded nervous.
Not scared.
Nervous.
“Adrian, promise me something.”
“What?”
“If I ever tell you something about someone you love…”
He smiled at the time.
“Claire, what happened?”
“Promise you’ll listen first.”
He remembered laughing.
He remembered saying:
“I always listen to you.”
But now he wondered.
Had he?
Had he really listened?
A sound interrupted his thoughts.
A notification.
Someone’s phone.
Everyone looked around.
Madison quickly reached into her purse.
Too quickly.
Adrian noticed.
“Your phone.”
Madison froze.
“What?”
“Give it to me.”
Her expression changed.
“No.”
The answer shocked everyone.
Adrian stepped closer.
“Why?”
“Because it’s private.”
“Not anymore.”
Madison looked at Daniel.
A silent exchange passed between them.
Adrian saw it.
And that was enough.
He took a step back.
“You two are working together.”
Daniel immediately responded.
“That is an assumption.”
“Then prove me wrong.”
Nobody spoke.
Madison slowly unlocked her phone.
Adrian took it.
The last message was open.
The sender was not Daniel.
It was another name.
A name Adrian knew.
His heart stopped.
Because the person Madison had been texting all night was not a lawyer.
Not a stranger.
Not an outsider.
It was someone inside his family.
The message read:
“He found Claire’s evidence. We need to fix this before he opens the rest.”
Adrian stared at the screen.
Then he looked up.
“Who is this?”
Madison’s face turned completely pale.
She knew there was no escape anymore.
Slowly…
She whispered the name.
“Caleb.”
Adrian froze.
His younger brother.
The person who had comforted him after Claire’s death.
The person who told him to move on.
The person who insisted Claire’s crash was nothing more than a tragic accident.
Adrian felt the room spinning.
“No.”
Madison looked at him with tears in her eyes.
“I never wanted you to find out this way.”
Adrian’s voice became dangerously quiet.
“Find out what?”
Madison looked toward the staircase.
Then back at him.
“That Caleb knew Claire was investigating him.”
Nobody moved.
Nobody breathed.
Because suddenly the biggest mystery was no longer about Madison.
It was about the brother Adrian trusted more than anyone.
And somewhere inside the mansion…
May you like
Caleb Westwood was still missing.
TO BE CONTINUED…
