Chapter 4 - The Unlikely Ally
Claire’s first instinct was to start the engine and drive away.
She reached for the ignition.
Harris tapped on the glass again.
He held up both of his hands, showing his empty palms.
He wasn't reaching for his weapon.
He didn't look angry.
He looked tired.
Claire slowly rolled the window down exactly two inches.
"If Evelyn sent you, tell her to go to hell," Claire said.
"Evelyn didn't send me," Harris replied.
His voice was gruff, worn down by years of smoking.
"Then why are you here?"
"Because you're in danger, Claire."
"I know I'm in danger."
"You don't know the half of it."
Harris looked over his shoulder, scanning the parking lot.
"They filed an emergency custody petition this morning."
Claire felt her stomach drop into an endless abyss.
"Custody?"
"Evelyn claims you are mentally unstable and physically abusive."
"That's a lie!"
"She has two of the trustees willing to testify that you assaulted Lily at the gala."
"She was the one who hurt Lily!"
"They are spinning the narrative, Claire."
"They can't just take my daughter based on lies."
"With Judge Harrison on the bench, they can do whatever they want."
Claire looked back at Lily.
The little girl was looking at a picture book, oblivious to the terror outside.
"How did you find me?" Claire asked.
"Your car has a GPS tracker on it."
Claire gasped.
"Evelyn had it installed two weeks ago."
"Oh my god."
"I was the one who installed it."
Claire glared at him with pure hatred.
"You bastard."
"I was doing my job."
"And now?"
"Now, I'm trying to help you."
"Why should I believe you?"
Harris sighed and leaned closer to the crack in the window.
"Because I liked Thomas."
The mention of her dead husband made Claire flinch.
"Thomas was a good man," Harris said softly.
"He was the only decent Harrow in that entire cursed family."
"Don't talk about him."
"I was working the night he died, Claire."
Claire froze.
Her heart hammered relentlessly against her ribs.
"What do you know?" she whispered.
"I know his brakes didn't fail on their own."
Tears sprang to Claire’s eyes.
It was the confirmation she had always dreaded.
"Will you testify?" she pleaded.
"I have no proof."
"Then you are useless to me."
"I'm not useless."
Harris reached into his jacket pocket.
Claire flinched back, expecting a weapon.
Instead, he pulled out a thick, unmarked white envelope.
He slid it through the two-inch gap in the window.
It landed on Claire’s lap.
"What is this?"
"It's ten thousand dollars in untraceable cash."
Claire stared at the envelope as if it were a bomb.
"Where did you get this?"
"It doesn't matter."
"I can't take your money, Harris."
"Your accounts are frozen. You have nothing."
"I won't be a charity case."
"It's not charity. It's an investment in taking that old witch down."
Harris pulled a small, black device from his pocket.
It was a magnetic GPS tracker.
"I removed this from your rear bumper."
"Thank you," Claire breathed.
"Take the money. Get out of the state."
"I can't run, Harris."
"If you stay, they will take Lily."
"If I run, I look guilty."
"You look alive," Harris corrected grimly.
"I have evidence against her," Claire blurted out.
Harris’s eyes widened.
"Are you insane? Why would you tell anyone that?"
"It's in a safe deposit box inside this bank."
"And you can't get to it."
"No."
Harris rubbed his jaw, deep in thought.
"Who else knows about the evidence?"
"Nobody. Just me."
"Does Evelyn know what it is?"
"She knows I have something."
"Then you need to get it before she subpoenas the box."
"How? They won't let me in."
Harris looked back at the bank doors.
"Leave that to me."
"What are you going to do?"
"I still have my badge from the sheriff's department."
May you like
"It's expired."
"The teller doesn't know that."
