Chapter 4 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Ryan arrived at the police station with his attorney.
He spent forty minutes answering questions.
Where was he on the night Claire was injured?
Why did he tell medical staff she had fallen?
Why had he attempted to access their joint savings account?
Why were company funds transferred to Linda?
Ryan repeated the same answer.
“It was a misunderstanding.”
Detective Reed didn't argue.
He simply took notes.
Finally, he slid a photograph across the table.
It showed Ryan standing outside the hotel.
Emily Shaw beside him.
Ryan stared at it.
“Who is she?”
“You tell me.”
“An employee.”
“Why were you at the hotel?”
“Business.”
“At midnight?”
Ryan looked at his attorney.
The attorney said nothing.
Detective Reed leaned back.
“Mr. Mercer, I'm not investigating your marriage.”
Ryan swallowed.
“I'm investigating financial crimes.”
The detective tapped the photograph.
“But when people lie about small things, I become interested in the big things.”
Ryan's face tightened.
“I didn't kill anyone.”
“I didn't say you did.”
The interview ended.
But Ryan left knowing something had changed.
Someone was talking.
Someone was giving Claire evidence.
---
Emily Shaw received a call that afternoon.
She almost didn't answer.
“Hello?”
A woman's voice said:
“You need to tell the truth.”
Emily froze.
“Who is this?”
“You know who.”
The line went dead.
Emily sat alone in her apartment.
For two years, she had kept quiet.
She had accepted money.
She had signed documents.
She had believed Ryan when he promised everything would be fine.
Then Claire was hospitalized.
And Emily finally understood.
Ryan didn't protect people.
He protected himself.
She opened a drawer.
Inside was a small recorder.
She had kept it for years.
Because Ryan had once threatened her.
The recording contained his voice.
If you tell Claire, I'll make sure nobody hires you again.
Emily had never known what to do with it.
Now she knew.
---
Claire met Emily at a coffee shop.
Emily arrived wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses.
“I don't want anyone to see me.”
Claire nodded.
“Then tell me why you're here.”
Emily sat down.
“I was afraid of Ryan.”
“Were you having an affair with him?”
Emily looked down.
“Yes.”
Claire felt the answer like a physical blow.
“How long?”
“About six months.”
Claire nodded slowly.
“Did you know he was married?”
“Yes.”
“Did he tell you he was leaving me?”
“Yes.”
Claire almost smiled.
“He told you the same story.”
Emily looked ashamed.
“He said you were controlling.”
Claire looked out the window.
“I wasn't.”
“I know that now.”
Emily pulled out the recorder.
“He also used me.”
“How?”
“He made me sign invoices.”
Claire's eyes sharpened.
“What kind?”
“Fake subcontractor invoices.”
Claire went silent.
Emily continued.
“He told me they were temporary.”
“Where did the money go?”
“I don't know.”
Claire looked at her.
“You do.”
Emily's eyes filled with tears.
“Linda.”
That single word changed everything.
Emily explained that Linda had created shell companies.
Ryan approved payments.
Emily processed paperwork.
In return, she received money.
Claire asked the question that mattered.
“How much?”
Emily whispered:
“More than four million dollars.”
Claire felt the room spin.
---
That night, Daniel reviewed Emily's documents.
“This is major.”
Claire nodded.
“Can she testify?”
“If she's willing.”
“She is.”
Daniel opened the recording.
Ryan's voice filled the room.
If you talk, you'll regret it.
Daniel stopped the audio.
“That helps.”
Claire stared at the screen.
“What happens now?”
Daniel looked at her.
“Now the case gets bigger.”
---
At 2:10 a.m., Ryan's phone rang.
It was Linda.
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Come here.”
“Why?”
“Now.”
Ryan drove to his mother's house.
Linda opened the door.
Her face was pale.
“She found Emily.”
Ryan froze.
“What?”
“Claire.”
“How?”
“I don't know.”
Ryan stared at her.
Then Linda said something that made him furious.
“You need to leave the country.”
Ryan laughed.
“You're serious?”
“Yes.”
“I'm not running.”
Linda stepped closer.
“You don't understand.”
“What?”
“She has the recordings.”
Ryan stopped.
“What recordings?”
Linda's face collapsed.
“The ones from the night you told Emily to stay quiet.”
Ryan stared at his mother.
“You kept them?”
“No.”
“Then how does Claire have them?”
Linda looked away.
Ryan suddenly understood.
Someone had betrayed them.
Again.
---
The next morning, Claire received one final anonymous message.
You still haven't seen the worst file.
She replied:
Who are you?
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
A minute later:
Someone Ryan forgot about.
An attachment appeared.
Claire opened it.
It was a photograph of Ryan standing beside a young boy.
The boy was about five years old.
Claire stared.
She had never seen him before.
The message underneath said:
Ask Ryan who his son is.
May you like
Claire's blood ran cold.
---
