Uncle Charlie
Chapter 04 - Uncle Charlie
Claire did not answer.
The phone rang again.
Then a text arrived.
Heard you visited the bank. We need to talk.
Claire showed Melissa.
“How does he know?”
Melissa immediately closed the safe-deposit box.
“We’re leaving.”
Charles was waiting outside Claire’s house that evening.
He smiled when she approached.
“Claire.”
She kept her distance.
“What do you want?”
“To help.”
“With what?”
“The questions you suddenly have.”
Claire’s heart began pounding.
“You knew about Rebecca.”
Charles sighed.
“Yes.”
“And Samuel?”
“Yes.”
Claire slapped the side of her car with her hand.
“You stood in my house for six years.”
“I was protecting Andrew.”
“Andrew is dead.”
“That’s exactly why you should listen.”
Charles claimed Rebecca had been mentally unstable.
She supposedly disappeared with Samuel after becoming convinced someone wanted to hurt them.
Andrew spent years trying to find her.
“Then why did he write that you were dangerous?”
Charles’s expression changed.
Only slightly.
But Claire noticed.
“You opened the box.”
“Yes.”
Charles looked toward the house.
“Where’s Lily?”
Claire stepped in front of him.
“Don’t ask about my daughter.”
Charles raised both hands.
“Fine.”
He lowered his voice.
“Andrew got involved in something he didn’t understand.”
“What?”
“Our father’s company.”
The Morgan family had once owned dozens of nursing homes.
Andrew rarely discussed the business.
Charles had taken control years earlier.
According to Charles, Andrew discovered financial problems and became paranoid.
Claire almost believed him.
Then Lily appeared at the front window.
Charles looked up.
His face softened.
Or seemed to.
Then he said:
“She looks exactly like Samuel did at that age.”
Claire felt every part of her body go cold.
“You’ve seen Samuel recently?”
Charles realized his mistake.
He turned toward his car.
Claire grabbed his arm.
“Where is that boy?”
Charles pulled away.
“Let this go.”
“No.”
His voice changed.
May you like
“If you love your daughter, Claire, you will.”
Then he drove away.
