Chapter 3 - THE HUSBAND ARRIVES
Richard arrived at the hospital forty minutes later.
He brought flowers.
Harrison stared at them.
White roses.
Khloe hated white roses.
Richard knew that.
Or at least he should have.
A hospital security officer blocked the hallway.
“I’m her husband.”
Richard’s voice carried across the floor.
“I have every legal right to see my wife.”
Harrison stepped out of the waiting room.
“No.”
Richard’s face tightened.
“You can’t keep me away from her.”
“I can’t.”
Harrison approached slowly.
“But the police can.”
Two detectives appeared behind him.
Richard stopped.
Detective Laura Mercer held up her badge.
“Richard Harrington?”
“Yes.”
“We’d like to ask you some questions.”
“I’ve already spoken to officers.”
“Not about what happened after your wife fell.”
Richard looked at Harrison.
“What is this?”
Harrison said nothing.
Mercer continued.
“Courthouse footage shows you entering the east parking structure seven minutes after the incident.”
“So?”
“Your wife was still on the pavement.”
Richard’s jaw tightened.
“I was getting my car.”
“Why?”
“To follow the ambulance.”
“You didn’t.”
Silence.
Mercer opened her notebook.
“You returned to the courtyard eleven minutes later.”
Richard shrugged.
“I was in shock.”
“Did you contact Martin Vale?”
Richard’s eyes flickered.
Harrison saw it.
Mercer saw it too.
“Who?”
“Your CFO.”
“Of course I know Martin.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
Richard looked toward Harrison.
“You’re feeding them nonsense.”
Harrison finally spoke.
“Answer her.”
Richard’s face reddened.
Mercer continued.
“Did you instruct Martin Vale to enter your wife’s vehicle?”
“No.”
“Did you know he entered it?”
“No.”
“Do you know where he is now?”
“No.”
Three lies.
Harrison counted each one.
Then Richard tried another strategy.
He looked devastated.
“My wife nearly died.”
His voice softened.
“My daughter is fighting for her life.”
Harrison’s eyes narrowed.
Daughter.
The hospital had not released the baby’s sex.
The detectives had not mentioned it.
Harrison hadn’t told Richard.
Mercer stopped writing.
“How did you know?”
Richard froze.
“Know what?”
“That the baby is a girl.”
Silence.
Richard’s face changed.
Only for a second.
But it was enough.
“I assumed.”
“You assumed?”
“Khloe told me months ago.”
Harrison spoke.
“No, she didn’t.”
Richard turned.
“Yes, she did.”
Harrison stepped closer.
“Khloe didn’t tell anyone.”
Richard’s expression faltered.
“She wanted it to be a surprise.”
Mercer watched him carefully.
Richard recovered.
“She told me privately.”
Harrison almost laughed.
Khloe had told Harrison why she kept the gender secret.
Because Richard had missed the anatomy scan.
Because Richard had claimed he was in Boston.
Because Khloe wanted to tell him when he finally showed enough interest to ask.
He never had.
So how did he know?
Harrison suddenly remembered the messages.
Vanessa.
Our baby deserves your last name.
He looked at Richard.
“Did Vanessa know?”
Richard said nothing.
That answer was enough.
Mercer stepped closer.
“Mr. Harrington, we need you to come with us.”
“Am I under arrest?”
“Not at this time.”
“Then I’m staying.”
Harrison smiled faintly.
“Bad choice.”
Richard turned on him.
“Stay out of my marriage.”
Harrison’s expression hardened.
“You lost the right to call it a marriage when your mistress pushed my sister down thirty courthouse steps.”
Richard lowered his voice.
“You don’t know what happened.”
“I know exactly what happened.”
“No.”
Richard stepped closer.
“You know what Khloe wanted you to know.”
Harrison went still.
“What does that mean?”
Richard looked toward the detectives.
Then he smiled.
It was the first genuine smile Harrison had seen on him all day.
“You think your sister is innocent.”
Harrison stared at him.
Richard continued.
“You should ask her why she was really at the courthouse.”
Mercer frowned.
“What are you talking about?”
Richard picked up the flowers he had placed on a chair.
“Ask Khloe.”
“She’s unconscious.”
“Then I suppose you’ll have to wait.”
He turned.
Mercer blocked him.
“We’re not finished.”
Richard looked at her.
“Then charge me.”
She didn’t.
Richard walked away.
Harrison watched him disappear into the elevator.
Daniel called moments later.
“We found Martin’s plane.”
“Where?”
“Philadelphia Northeast.”
“Still there?”
“No.”
Harrison cursed quietly.
“Destination?”
“Canada.”
“Can we confirm Martin was onboard?”
Daniel hesitated.
“That’s the strange part.”
“What?”
“The passenger manifest lists one person.”
“Martin?”
“No.”
Harrison waited.
“Vanessa Kensington.”
Harrison stared at the elevator doors.
“That’s impossible.”
“She’s in police custody.”
“I know.”
“Then somebody used her identity.”
“Why?”
Daniel sighed.
“That’s not the worst part.”
“What is?”
“The aircraft belongs to Harrington Commercial Group.”
Harrison’s voice became very quiet.
“Richard’s company.”
“Exactly.”
“And Martin?”
“Missing.”
Harrison looked toward the NICU.
Then he remembered Richard’s strange confidence.
Ask Khloe why she was really at the courthouse.
Something was wrong.
Something bigger than the affair.
Something bigger than hidden marital assets.
Harrison walked toward the nurses’ station.
“I need access to my sister’s personal belongings.”
The nurse looked up.
“Her property was already released.”
Harrison stopped.
“To whom?”
The nurse checked the computer.
“Her husband.”
Harrison’s face went cold.
“When?”
“Approximately twenty minutes ago.”
Richard hadn’t come to see Khloe.
He hadn’t come to see his newborn daughter.
He had come for Khloe’s belongings.
May you like
Harrison ran toward the elevator.
But Richard was already gone.
