Her voice cracked.
“Claire, I don’t understand any of this.”
Neither did I.
But something about the question bothered me.
If Richard had doubts about the baby’s paternity, why had he been so determined to move Vesna into my house? Why had he placed the business account in her name? And why had Adrian Vale taken such an interest in the child?
I thought about the documents on the computer.
I thought about the mysterious night visitor.
And then I remembered a sentence from the email Richard had written.
Vesna will retain the remaining balance until the second stage is complete.
The second stage.
Not the second payment.
Not the second investment.
The second stage.
“Vesna,” I said, “I need you to ask your attorney to preserve every document Richard gave you. Every email, every message, every contract. Don’t delete anything, even if it seems irrelevant.”
“I will.”
“And don’t go anywhere with him. Don’t let him take Sophie away, and don’t meet Adrian Vale without your attorney.”
