LITMIR.BIZ

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      Alex didn’t argue, confirming Claire’s suspicion that he wanted it badly.

      “Thank you.” He gave it a long, hard look before taking out his wallet and sliding it inside.

      * * *

      “The sooner we get your name cleared, the sooner I can meet my daughter,” Alex said. His heartbeat sped up at the thought. There had been a time when he couldn’t wait to start a family with Claire. That dream had vanished like vapor when he’d allowed his past to own him. Yesterday, when he’d run across the article mentioning Mia, he’d had to reread the line countless times before the words made sense. Even now, he wasn’t sure the news had completely sunk in.

      A full day later and it still seemed so surreal.

      He fought to tamp down the frustration he felt. He wanted to tell Claire that he wasn’t the person he used to be. Like her, he’d found a connection with the Lord and it had changed him. He didn’t want to see the look of doubt in her eyes. He was pretty sure she wished just about anyone else had come to her rescue. He’d be lying if he said that didn’t hurt, at least a little.

      “Did you look through the information I gave you?” Claire asked, pulling him from his thoughts.

      “I did.” He was impressed. She had compiled detailed information regarding sales made by Xavier. She had buyers’ names, dates of sales, pickup sites and purchase prices. “You’ve built a very good case against Xavier. I don’t think there’s any disputing he’s fencing stolen antiquities. Why haven’t you taken this to the police?”

      “Does anything in that file prove he murdered Jared?”

      He frowned. “No.”

      “Exactly. Having him locked up for fraud wouldn’t get me off the hook for murder.” She fidgeted with her coffee cup. “I was hoping to tie him to Jared’s death using the information in the file I gave you. I haven’t been able to do that yet.”

      “You’ve compiled a lot of information on the antiques Xavier was fencing,” Alex said. “How were you able to get the documentation?”

      “Jared.” She winced. “I took most of it from him.”

      “He was involved?”

      “Yes. It’s what got him killed.”

      Alex could use another cup of coffee, but he wasn’t about to walk away from this conversation, not even for a minute.

      “In order for me to help you, I need the whole story. Can you start from the beginning? You need to tell me everything.”

      “‘The beginning’?” she echoed.

      Claire was strong and determined, always had been. Now she seemed hardened, world-weary. It was a burden Alex was familiar with and never wanted Claire to have to carry. She’d always been welcoming, open, quick to smile. Now she seemed closed off, cynical.

      “I’m supposed to tell you all about how awful my marriage was?” She squeezed her eyes closed and pinched the bridge of her nose.

      She looked defeated as she slumped into her chair. If there was a way he could spare her from this, he would. But if he was going to help, he needed the facts. All of them.

      “I am at fault somewhat,” she said. “I rushed into the marriage. After you left, I was angry. I was hurt. I was missing you terribly. I had a new baby and I didn’t want to be alone. Jared was charming. He treated me well at first.” She picked up her coffee cup, realized it was empty and set it back down. “Looking back, I realize he was too charming. Too perfect. But after we were married that changed. I have no doubt he wanted a wife because it fit the image he was trying to create. His investors were more comfortable with a family man. Many of them saw him as altruistic, taking in a child that wasn’t his own. He doted on Mia in public, putting on a wonderful show, as always. But in private, he ignored her. It was probably for the best, but it was very confusing for Mia.”

      Thinking of another man raising his daughter was like an emotional sucker punch to the heart. So much had changed in the past twenty-four hours. He was still trying to comprehend that he had a daughter. Not just the fact that he had a daughter but all the emotional turmoil that entailed, including having abandoned her. Having missed out on three entire years of her precious, young life.

      “He treated her okay?”

      “He never hurt her, if that’s what you’re asking.”

      It was. He pushed ahead with the next question. “And you? Did he hurt you?”

      “We weren’t married long before I realized he wasn’t the man I thought he was. I knew he was a man of power. I didn’t realize he was a man of unscrupulous morals. Looking back, I wonder if I missed the signs. Or maybe there were no signs. He hid his dark side from the world. When we met, he hid it from me. Once we were married, it emerged. It came out swinging, quite literally,” she murmured.

      “Why didn’t you leave him?” Alex asked as he struggled to keep his voice even.

      “I tried to leave him once. It didn’t end well,” she said quietly. “He threatened to take Mia from me if I filed for divorce. He had no claim to her, but I couldn’t risk it. I couldn’t risk him winning even partial custody because he would’ve only done so out of spite. With high-powered lawyers and bottomless pockets, I was afraid he could pull it off. I wouldn’t have put it past him to pay off the judge. I knew if I was going to try to leave him again, I had to be able to remove myself from his reach.”

      “How did you plan to do that?” Alex asked. “Get out of his reach, I mean.”

      “Last spring we had Xavier over for dinner. I went upstairs to put Mia to bed. When I came back down the two of them were in Jared’s office arguing. Jared told Xavier he knew all about his ‘special endeavor.’ That’s what he called it. It piqued my interest and I couldn’t get my feet to move. I knew it was a conversation I shouldn’t overhear, but I couldn’t stop myself.”

      Alex nodded, indicating he was following.

      “At the time I didn’t realize they were talking about the black market. However, Jared made a comment that stuck with me. He said he had proof Xavier terminated those who got in his way.” She forced a bitter laugh. “I thought ‘terminated’ meant he fired them. I’m so naïve. I’m still having a hard time wrapping my mind around the fact that there are people in the world evil enough to kill someone over a business deal.”

      “Is that what happened with Jared? He got in Xavier’s way and was going to turn him in?”

      “No,” Claire scoffed. “Oh, no. Jared didn’t have the moral aptitude for that. He used the information to threaten Xavier. He didn’t want to shut the operation down, he wanted in on the action. He was using what he knew to blackmail Xavier into cutting him in on the deals. Xavier didn’t want to share. That’s what got Jared killed.”

      Claire’s words hung in the air as Alex took a moment to think over everything she’d told him.

      “That night, Xavier agreed to Jared’s demands. I knew they were talking about some sort of illegal activity, I just didn’t know what. Jared was gone a lot, checking out potential locations for new hotels. He was careless with his files because as far as he knew, I had no reason to be digging. It didn’t take me long to realize they were fencing antiquities on the black market.

      “I started making copies of everything I found. I had every intention of taking it to the police. I knew if I could get Jared locked up, it would provide me the chance to escape.” She shook her head. “I waited too long, wanting to be sure my proof was solid enough. I knew the two of them would hire the best lawyers. I wanted to be rid of Jared. I didn’t want to take the chance of them getting off. Xavier has less patience and isn’t the sort of man to tolerate being blackmailed. He took Jared down and set me up.”

      Alex patted the black file. “This

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