Chapter 7 - WHAT VANESSA KNEW
Police traced Vanessa’s call to a disposable phone activated near Milwaukee.
By the time officers reached the location, it had been abandoned.
But Vanessa had given them one important piece of information.
She was alive.
And she was afraid.
Adrian hated that part of himself still wanted to find her before the police did.
Not to protect her.
To force answers from her.
Clara saw the rage.
“You cannot become reckless.”
“She was in Rachel’s hospital room.”
“I know.”
“She pushed Emma.”
“I know.”
“She framed you.”
“Yes.”
“And now she wants us to believe she’s a victim?”
Clara looked at him.
“Victims can also be guilty.”
Adrian said nothing.
“People can be both.”
He hated that she was right.
The next morning, Detective Monroe arrived with preliminary findings from Rachel’s preserved blood samples.
The hospital had retained samples because of the unusual cardiac event.
A toxicologist discovered traces of a medication that had not been prescribed to Rachel.
In high enough quantities, it could cause severe arrhythmia.
Adrian sat motionless.
Monroe chose her words carefully.
“This does not yet prove homicide.”
“But it proves somebody gave her something.”
“It strongly suggests an unauthorized substance entered her system.”
Clara asked, “Could Vanessa have administered it?”
“Possibly.”
Adrian stood.
“Then arrest her.”
“We need to find her first.”
Monroe added another document.
“There’s more.”
Hospital access logs showed Martin Hale entered the building the night Rachel collapsed.
Adrian stared.
“He told me he was in New York.”
“Travel records show he returned to Chicago that afternoon.”
The betrayal became physical.
Seventeen years.
Martin had stood beside Adrian at his wedding.
Held Olivia in the hospital.
Delivered a eulogy at Rachel’s funeral.
Helped carry Rachel’s coffin.
Adrian gripped the table.
Clara noticed.
“Sit down.”
“I’m fine.”
“No, you’re not.”
He sat.
Monroe continued.
“Martin visited Rachel’s floor at 8:14 p.m.”
“Before Vanessa?”
“Twenty-six minutes before.”
“And left?”
“At 8:31.”
Vanessa entered later.
Adrian looked toward the windows.
“So which one killed her?”
“We don’t know.”
Olivia had been listening from the doorway.
She finally spoke.
“Maybe neither.”
Everyone looked at her.
She stepped inside.
“Maybe somebody made both of them do things.”
Adrian frowned.
“What makes you think that?”
“Because of Martin’s call.”
She looked at Clara.
“And because Vanessa sounded terrified.”
Monroe nodded slowly.
“It’s possible.”
Olivia continued.
“Mom’s recordings mention Bellweather.”
“Yes.”
“What is Bellweather?”
Marcus had researched it.
“A shell company.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Olivia looked at him.
“Who owns it?”
Marcus hesitated.
“Ownership is hidden behind several corporations.”
“Exactly.”
She pointed toward the files.
“Everyone keeps looking at Vanessa and Martin.”
“What if Bellweather tells us who’s above them?”
Adrian stared at his daughter.
Again he saw Rachel in her.
Not physically.
Rachel had been softer in appearance.
But the mind.
The refusal to accept the obvious answer.
The instinct to pull at the loose thread.
Marcus began working through incorporation records.
Several hours later, they found a connection.
Bellweather Consulting had once shared legal representation with a private investment firm named Arden Capital.
Arden owned minority stakes in three companies Adrian had acquired over the past decade.
More importantly, an Arden representative had repeatedly attempted hostile purchases of Cole Development.
Adrian knew the company.
But not the person behind it.
Until Marcus found a sealed court record from nine years earlier.
Arden Capital’s principal shareholder was Daniel Voss.
Clara frowned.
“Who is Daniel Voss?”
Adrian went pale.
“My brother-in-law.”
Olivia stared.
“Mom’s brother?”
Adrian nodded.
Daniel was Rachel’s older half brother.
Estranged from the family.
Brilliant.
Vindictive.
Dangerous in quieter ways than most people understood.
Rachel had barely spoken to him for more than a decade.
Adrian had not seen him since the funeral.
“Why would Uncle Daniel do this?”
Adrian looked at Olivia.
“Because he believed your grandfather stole his inheritance.”
Rachel’s father had left most of his estate to Rachel.
Daniel challenged the will.
Lost.
Then blamed Adrian for financing the legal defense.
Years later, part of Rachel’s inheritance funded the early expansion of Cole Development.
Daniel had always considered the company partly his.
Clara looked at Adrian.
“Was he at Rachel’s funeral?”
“Yes.”
“Did he meet Vanessa?”
“I don’t know.”
Marcus searched archived photographs.
One image from the graveside service showed mourners standing behind Adrian.
Martin was visible.
Clara was holding Olivia.
And forty feet away, partially hidden behind an umbrella, stood Daniel Voss.
Beside him was Vanessa.
Adrian’s blood ran cold.
Olivia whispered, “She was there.”
Vanessa had watched Rachel buried.
Then waited.
Then entered Adrian’s life.
A chime came from the security system.
Vehicle approaching.
Marcus checked the camera.
“No scheduled visitors.”
A black sedan stopped outside the gate.
The driver’s door opened.
A man stepped out.
Adrian stared at the monitor.
Daniel Voss looked directly into the camera.
He smiled.
Then raised both hands to show he was unarmed.
Marcus reached for his radio.
Adrian whispered.
May you like
“He found us.”
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