Chapter 3 - The Rabbit's Secret.
Claire stared at the cobalt-blue bottle on the hotel carpet.
Lily stared at it too, frightened by the sudden change in her mother's face.
Daniel remained outside the door.
"Claire, listen to me," he said.
"Put it in a plastic bag and call the police."
Claire crouched without touching the glass.
The label had been peeled away, leaving only a ragged white strip around the neck.
"Why would your mother hide it inside Lily's toy?"
Daniel did not answer immediately.
"Because she knew Dad was looking for it."
Claire's skin prickled.
"And you knew Dad was looking for it too."
"I knew he was suspicious."
"You told me he was becoming paranoid before he died."
Daniel closed his eyes.
"Mom told me he was."
Claire laughed once, without humor.
"And you believed whatever was easiest."
Lily picked at the hem of her blue dress.
"Daddy, are you mad at me?"
Daniel's expression broke.
"No, sweetheart."
"Then why did you say Grandma was right?"
He had no answer for that either.
Claire found a clean hotel ice bag, turned it inside out over her hand, and lifted the bottle without direct contact.
She tied the bag shut and placed it inside the room safe.
Then she disabled the car's tracking service through the manufacturer's app and changed the password.
Daniel watched the peephole as if he knew what she was doing.
"My mother filed an emergency petition," he said.
Claire stopped.
"For what?"
"Temporary guardianship of Lily."
The words landed harder than the slap Claire had given Eleanor.
"On what grounds?"
"She has statements from the school, two relatives, and a pediatric behavioral specialist."
Claire opened the door before she could stop herself.
Daniel flinched when he saw her face.
"A behavioral specialist?"
"Mom arranged the appointments."
"You attended two of them."
"I thought we were helping Lily."
Claire stepped into the hallway and pulled the door almost closed behind her.
"You signed paperwork saying our daughter had violent episodes."
"She did have episodes."
"After your mother gave her mystery drops."
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
"I did not know that."
"You did not want to know."
That distinction silenced him.
Claire asked for the name of the attorney handling Richard's estate.
Daniel hesitated, then gave it.
Margaret Hale.
Claire recognized the name from the letter.
Richard had written one instruction beside it.
Trust her only if she says the words north window.
Claire packed their things within ten minutes.
Daniel offered to drive them.
Claire refused.
He offered to follow at a distance.
Claire refused again.
Before leaving, she called Margaret Hale's office from the hotel landline.
A receptionist answered on the fourth ring.
Claire asked to speak with Margaret about Richard Bennett.
The receptionist went silent.
"Mrs. Hale has not been in today."
"Where is she?"
"We don't know."
Claire tightened her grip on the receiver.
"When did anyone last hear from her?"
The receptionist lowered her voice.
"Yesterday afternoon."
"Did she say where she was going?"
"She said she had to check the north window before someone closed it forever."
Claire stopped breathing.
The phrase was exact.
"What happened after that?"
A sudden crash sounded through the phone.
The receptionist gasped.
Then a man's voice spoke in the background.
"Hang up."
The line went dead.
Claire turned toward Daniel.
He had heard enough to understand.
"That wasn't my mother," he said.
Claire picked up her bag.
"For once, Daniel, I don't care what you think you know."
As she reached for Lily's coat, her phone buzzed with an unknown number.
A photograph appeared on the screen.
It showed Margaret Hale's office with papers scattered across the floor.
On the desk sat a second brown envelope.
May you like
Across it, in black ink, were three words.
FOR CLAIRE ONLY.
