Chapter 11 - THE MOVIE NIGHT
Vanessa arrived downstairs at seven wearing the red dress again.
The diamond bracelet flashed under the dining room light.
"You cooked?" she asked.
"Ordered."
Steak, potatoes, salad, wine.
Everything looked normal.
That was the point.
Mom was not there. She was staying with Rachel's aunt across town. Marcus waited outside in his car. The detective had advised me not to provoke Vanessa, so I had agreed to keep the evening simple.
Ask questions.
Let her talk.
Do not reveal evidence until I was ready to leave.
Vanessa raised her glass.
"To fresh starts."
I touched mine to hers.
"Fresh starts."
For twenty minutes, she performed tenderness.
She said she had missed me. She blamed tension with Mom on "caregiver burnout." She said Trent sometimes spoke too aggressively but had "a good heart."
Then she brought out the separation agreement.
"Just sign the temporary version," she said. "We can tear it up later."
"Why do you need it tonight?"
"Because I need security."
"From me?"
"From your financial problems."
I leaned back.
"What financial problems?"
She stopped.
I reached for the remote control.
The television behind her turned on.
A black screen.
White text.
APRIL 14 - KITCHEN CAMERA.
Vanessa did not move.
The video played.
On-screen Vanessa grabbed Mom's wrist.
"You don't get to hide money from me."
The real Vanessa's face went white.
I pressed next.
MAY 2 - DINING ROOM CAMERA.
"Daniel doesn't want to deal with you. He asked me to handle this."
Next.
JUNE 19 - HALLWAY CAMERA.
Vanessa shoved Mom into the wall.
Next.
A photograph of bruises from the clinic.
Next.
Bank transfers.
Next.
The forged affidavit.
Vanessa stood so suddenly her chair fell backward.
"You recorded me?"
"The house recorded you."
"That's illegal!"
"The cameras are in common areas. You've known about them for years."
She looked around wildly, as if seeing the house for the first time.
Then she lunged for the television.
I stepped between her and the screen without touching her.
"It's in the cloud. Breaking the TV won't help."
Her chest rose and fell.
"Your mother is lying."
I pointed at the screen.
"So is the video?"
"She provoked me!"
There it was.
Not denial.
Justification.
I clicked once more.
The screen displayed the $8,047,221.18 balance.
Vanessa stared.
Her mouth opened.
"What is that?"
"What I came home with."
She turned slowly toward me.
"You said you were broke."
"No. You said I was broke."
Her eyes filled with rage.
Then she smiled.
A strange, calm smile.
"Eight million dollars," she whispered.
She picked up her phone.
May you like
"Then I guess I don't need your permission anymore."
And she hit Send.
