Chapter 4 - The Man Who Knew Too Much
Vanessa didn’t move.
Ethan did.
He crossed the room in three steps.
“Who bought it?”
Brooks looked at the police.
“Someone used my security account.”
“Whose name?” Randall asked.
Brooks hesitated.
“Vanessa Hart.”
Vanessa laughed.
It sounded forced.
“That’s ridiculous.”
Brooks dropped the device on the kitchen counter.
“It was ordered through Cole Residential Security.”
“I don’t even have access.”
“You used my tablet.”
“No.”
“I found the purchase record.”
Ethan stared at her.
“Vanessa?”
She shook her head.
“Aaron hates me.”
Brooks snorted.
“I barely know you.”
“You’ve never liked that Ethan and I are getting married.”
Maya looked at Ethan.
“Getting married?”
Ethan’s eyes shifted away.
Vanessa lifted her left hand.
A diamond ring sparkled beneath the kitchen lights.
“We were going to announce it tonight.”
Maya suddenly understood the green dress.
The champagne chilling in the dining room.
The flowers arriving that morning.
Vanessa had planned a celebration.
And Maya was supposed to be gone before it began.
Officer Randall picked up the jammer.
“Mr. Brooks, where did you find this?”
“In the landscaping shed.”
“Fingerprints?”
“I didn’t touch it without gloves.”
Randall nodded.
“Good.”
Ethan turned toward Maya.
“Why did you say she planned this?”
“Because my bags were packed before the accident.”
Vanessa rolled her eyes.
“That proves nothing.”
Brooks suddenly looked uncomfortable.
“There’s more.”
Ethan faced him.
“What?”
“The backyard cameras were jammed for eleven minutes.”
“So?”
“But the indoor cameras were running.”
Maya’s heart jumped.
“The hallway.”
Brooks nodded.
“There’s a camera outside Maya’s room.”
Vanessa’s face went white.
Ethan noticed.
“Show me.”
Everyone moved toward the security office.
Vanessa stayed behind.
Maya caught her arm.
“Coming?”
Vanessa jerked free.
“Don’t touch me.”
“You wanted cameras ten minutes ago.”
Vanessa walked ahead.
Brooks entered a password.
The monitors flickered.
He selected the upstairs hall recording.
11:12 a.m.
Maya appeared on-screen walking downstairs.
11:17.
Lena crossed the hallway carrying towels.
11:22.
Aaron Brooks appeared.
He approached Maya’s bedroom.
But he didn’t enter.
He stopped.
Turned.
Then hurried after someone who had just disappeared down the other staircase.
Maya leaned forward.
“Wait.”
Brooks frowned.
“That’s not what Lena saw.”
Lena whispered, “I saw you coming away from her door.”
Brooks rewound.
They watched again.
A shadow moved inside Maya’s room before Brooks arrived.
A woman stepped into the hall.
Only part of her body appeared.
Blond hair.
Green sleeve.
Everyone turned.
Vanessa folded her arms.
“Plenty of people own green clothes.”
Brooks froze the frame.
A diamond bracelet showed clearly on the woman’s wrist.
Ethan looked down.
Vanessa was wearing the same bracelet.
Nobody spoke.
Finally Ethan said, “Vanessa.”
She exhaled.
“All right.”
Maya waited.
“I went into her room.”
Ethan’s face darkened.
“Why?”
“To find something.”
“What?”
May you like
Vanessa looked straight at Maya.
“The letters she stole from your dead wife.”
