Chapter 13 - Vanessa Finally Called
Vanessa disappeared before police could execute the arrest warrant.
Her apartment was empty.
Her car was abandoned in a garage.
Her credit cards stopped moving.
Derek refused to reveal where she went.
For forty-eight hours, nobody knew where she was.
Adrian moved Olivia and Emma to a secured guest property outside Boston.
Clara stayed away.
She wanted the girls safe.
She also knew her presence could make her another target.
On the third night, Adrian’s phone rang.
Blocked number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
Vanessa laughed softly.
“You sound tired.”
Adrian signaled to the detective sitting beside him.
The call was being traced.
“What do you want?”
“The same thing I always wanted.”
“My money?”
“No.”
Vanessa sounded offended.
“Freedom.”
“You pushed Emma toward a staircase.”
“I knew Clara would catch her.”
“You didn’t know anything.”
“She always runs when one of those children cries.”
Adrian’s fists tightened.
“You used my daughter.”
“I created a situation.”
“You almost killed her.”
“No.”
Vanessa’s voice sharpened.
“Clara ruined the timing.”
The detective motioned for Adrian to keep her talking.
“Why Clara?”
“Because Rachel trusted her.”
Vanessa almost spat Rachel’s name.
“Rachel saw through me before anyone else.”
Adrian’s skin went cold.
“So you knew Rachel.”
A pause.
“You already figured that out.”
“Why did you take her journal?”
“Because she wrote too much.”
“Did you hurt her?”
Vanessa laughed.
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Answer me.”
“Rachel was dying long before I entered the picture.”
Relief and rage collided inside Adrian.
At least Vanessa was not claiming responsibility for Rachel’s illness.
But she had used Rachel’s death as an opportunity.
“You waited for her to die.”
“I waited for you to become lonely.”
The cruelty of the sentence silenced him.
Vanessa continued.
“You were easy after that.”
Adrian looked toward Detective Reed.
He forced himself to remain calm.
“Where are you?”
“Wouldn’t you like to know?”
“What do you want?”
“One file.”
“Which file?”
“The original Mercer trust amendment.”
“Why?”
“Because without it, your lawyers can prove I knew the guardianship chain.”
Adrian understood.
The document contained signatures acknowledging who had reviewed it.
If Vanessa’s name appeared anywhere in the access records, prosecutors could establish premeditation.
“You’re asking me to destroy evidence.”
“I’m asking you to choose.”
“Between what?”
Vanessa’s voice became quiet.
“Your evidence and Clara.”
Adrian stood.
“What did you do?”
The line remained silent.
“Vanessa.”
“Check your messages.”
The call ended.
A photo arrived.
Clara was standing outside a pharmacy.
The image had been taken less than ten minutes earlier.
Another message followed.
I CAN REACH HER ANYTIME.
Adrian immediately called Clara.
No answer.
He called again.
No answer.
Reed contacted the security team.
The guard assigned to Clara had lost visual contact for four minutes when she entered the pharmacy.
Then Clara called.
“I’m fine.”
Adrian nearly collapsed from relief.
“Get somewhere secure.”
“What happened?”
“Vanessa called.”
Clara became silent.
“She threatened you.”
“She threatened you.”
Police moved Clara again.
This time, she did not argue.
As officers escorted her from the pharmacy, Clara noticed a woman across the street wearing a gray coat and sunglasses.
The woman turned away.
Clara stopped.
“Vanessa.”
The woman ran.
Clara shouted.
Police gave chase.
Traffic blocked the intersection.
The woman vanished between two buildings.
But one camera captured her face.
May you like
Vanessa was back in Boston.
And she was getting desperate.
