Released at 24, She Went Back to Her Father’s Old Body Shop — Under the Lift Sat a Welded Trunk
Chapter 5
The next morning, Claire drove to the county courthouse.
Sheriff Mason Reed was still working.
He was older now.
Slower.
But the moment he saw Claire, his expression changed.
“You shouldn’t be here.”
Claire placed the photograph on his desk.
“Neither should my father’s secrets.”
Reed looked at it.
Then sighed.
“Where did you find that?”
“My father’s shop.”
“You opened the trunk.”
Claire stared.
“You knew about it.”
“I knew your father hid something.”
“What?”
“I never found out.”
“Then why did you tell the court my father identified me?”
Reed looked away.
“He didn’t.”
Claire felt the room spin.
“You knew?”
“I knew the statement was false.”
“Why?”
Reed closed the office door.
“Because someone threatened my family.”
Claire’s anger faded.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“You must.”
Reed walked to a filing cabinet.
He removed an old folder.
“This was never supposed to survive.”
Inside were original case documents.
Claire’s trial evidence.
Witness statements.
Police reports.
Then she saw it.
The original autopsy report.
Her father’s cause of death was not listed as natural.
It stated:
Possible poisoning.
Claire stared.
“Why wasn’t this presented?”
“Because the report was replaced.”
“By whom?”
Reed hesitated.
“Your brother.”
Claire froze.
“Daniel?”
“He came to me two days after your father’s death.”
“Why?”
“He said your father had been behaving strangely.”
Claire shook her head.
“That doesn’t explain the autopsy.”
Reed looked at her.
“Daniel told me the report had been altered by the medical examiner.”
“Was that true?”
“No.”
“Then why did you believe him?”
“I didn’t.”
Reed looked exhausted.
“I was afraid.”
Claire took the report.
“Who was the medical examiner?”
Reed gave her the name.
Dr. Howard Bell.
Claire recognized it.
Her father had mentioned that name in his notebook.
She looked at Reed.
“Did he die?”
“No.”
“Where is he?”
Reed paused.
“Retired.”
“Where?”
Reed wrote down an address.
Then he said:
“Claire.”
She stopped.
“Don’t go alone.”
“Why?”
Reed looked toward the window.
“Because three people connected to your father’s investigation died within five years.”
Claire stared.
“Accidents?”
Reed shook his head.
“That’s what the reports say.”
