Catherine hummed a light tune while her fingers tightened, then relaxed in time with a trail of thoughts rushing through her head as she manipulated the driving wheel through the busy city traffic.
That morning, Danny had rushed off, hardly even touching his breakfast. He frequently skipped meals when business got in the way, but something about today had made her uneasy. For some reason, she felt like he would starve if she didn't see to it that he ate.
So here she was, heading to his office uninvited with a packed lunch in the passenger seat next to her.
Her mind drifted to Geoffrey and her plan to take them for a check-up. She promptly called the Smith mansion by pressing the button on her car's hands-free system.
"Good morning, ma'am," Mrs. Harper, the house manager, greeted politely.
"Harper, good morning. Geoffrey has to be prepared for a hospital visit tomorrow. I need you to make sure he is ready by 10 am, do you understand?"
There was a pause on the other end before Mrs Harper replied, "Ma'am, you know Master Geoffrey doesn't—"
Catherine interrupted abruptly. "I didn't ask for his opinion, neither am I asking for yours. That boy is sick and he needs to get help," she said. "Just confirm that he is ready. We leave by 10 am."
There was another pause. Catherine knew she was putting the poor woman in a pickle but she didn't care. All she cared about was getting her nephew help before
His situation got out of hand.
Hesitantly, Mrs Harper replied, "Yes, ma'am."
Disconnecting the call, Catherine let out a breath and gripped the wheel more tightly. The accusation from Geoffrey still troubled her. But she refused to be distracted by a grief-stricken, blind teen. She would just follow through on her strategy.
She had calmed down by the time she reached Danny's office building. The secretary in the lobby looked up and smiled. "Greetings, Mrs. Gayle. Should I inform Mr. Gayle of your presence?"
Catherine smiled and shook her head. "That is not necessary. I'm just going to drop off his lunch and leave. Excuse me."
She said and made her way towards Danny's office, with a level of ease that she had cultivated.
The shiny floor was silent beneath her flat shoes. Having worn heels for most of the previous day, her feet hurt so badly that she didn't dare wear them today.
The door to his office was slightly open when she arrived. Silently, she pushed it open and entered.
With his back to her and his eyes fixed on the floor-to-ceiling window, Danny was on a call. The metropolitan skyline loomed in front of him, but it was his frantic, low voice that chilled her.
Hissing, he said into the phone, "Listen to me, William Meyers, I practice law, yet I committed murder. I followed your instructions since I didn't want Cecelia and me to be discovered. Now, you want me to do it again. Kill the son as well after I killed the mother and father? That's—"
With a loud thud, the lunch bag fell from Catherine's grasp and onto the ground. At the sound, Danny turned around, shocked that someone was behind him.
When he saw who it was, a torrent of emotions washed his face–shock, fear, shame. Like a neon warning sign, it was all there, flashing across his face.
At last, he managed to find his voice. "Catherine," he called slowly while inhaling deeply.
Catherine's mouth was wide open, frozen, and her mind was yelling for her to do something. 'run,' 'scream,' 'anything.' But she couldn't move a muscle. Geoffrey was right all along? The boy was not sick or mentally ill like she thought.
Danny rushed to her side, "Listen to me, wife; I know this looks bad, but It's not what you think. I promise you."
Catherine was able to speak. With a sharp tone, she repeated, "Not what I think? I just heard you confess to murder, Danny."
"You misunderstood darling." His voice seemed too polished and practiced. "Work gets, you know. There are moments when I say things like—"
"Spare me the bullshit!" Her astonishment gave way to rage as she snapped. "I heard you very well. You killed them! You! Those were my family."
Danny exhaled, rubbing his temples. "Catherine, listen to me—"
"I don't need to listen to anything else," she cut him off. "I'm going to investigate the accident. I will find proof, and when I do—"
Danny's head suddenly snapped up, and his gaze hardened. "You'll do no such thing, dear wife. You think you're so righteous, don't you? Why don't you keep the pretense for those who don't really know you."
His abrupt change in his attitude and tone made her stomach turn. She scoffed, looking at him and wondering if she knew the husband she married at all.
Danny continued, unfazed by her reaction and deadly countenance. If he couldn't persuade her to let what she heard slide, she should be ready to burn with him. "If you're going to play the good auntie, you should confess your own atrocity too."
Catherine scowled. "My sins? What the hell are you talking about?"
Danny grinned icily. "You didn't believe I knew, did you? That you bribed the doctors to keep Geoffrey's blindness permanent?"
Catherine's breath caught. Danny stepped closer. "I am aware that you made arrangements for them to inform him that his condition cannot be reversed when it actually can. I know you need him weak. Vulnerable. Dependent on you. Because as long as Geoffrey stays blind, you stay in control of the Smith wealth. You want his inheritance too."
Silence filled the office. Catherine's heart pounded. Danny lowered his voice to a whisper and leaned closer. "Tell me, sweetheart. How do you think Geoffrey will react when he finds out what you did if you're so determined to bring me to justice?"
Catherine swallowed hard, her mind racing for a response. But she had none forthcoming. None!