Chapter 5 - What Vanessa Finally Said

Vanessa woke at three seventeen in the afternoon.

Daniel knew because Detective Ortiz called him at three nineteen.

“She asked for you.”

He stood in the kitchen of Hawthorne House, staring at the chair where Vanessa had drunk coffee every morning for almost two years.

“I don’t know if I want to see her.”

“That is your decision.”

“What does she want?”

“She says she’ll tell the truth if you’re in the room.”

Daniel laughed bitterly.

“She had plenty of rooms to tell me the truth in.”

“I’m not defending her.”

“No. You’re asking me to help your case.”

“I’m telling you she may have information about Mara’s death.”

That ended the argument.

Daniel arranged for Lily to stay with Evelyn’s niece, Rachel, at the hospital family suite. Evelyn was awake and improving, and Lily had begged to see her. Daniel trusted Rachel more than anyone remaining in his own house.

Before he left, Lily hugged him around the waist.

“Are you going to see Vanessa?”

“Yes.”

“Is she bad?”

Daniel looked down at her.

“People can do bad things without every part of them being bad.”

“Did she do bad things?”

“Yes.”

Lily thought about that.

“Do you still love her?”

The question hurt more than Daniel expected.

“I don’t know what I feel yet.”

“That means yes a little.”

Children could be mercilessly precise.

Daniel kissed her forehead.

“Stay with Miss Rachel.”

“Okay.”

“And no secret rooms.”

Lily almost smiled.

At St. Matthew’s Hospital, two officers stood outside Vanessa’s room. Ortiz waited inside beside the window.

Vanessa looked smaller than Daniel remembered. A bruise darkened her temple. Her lower lip was split. An IV ran into her left hand.

She looked at Daniel and started crying.

He stayed near the door.

“Don’t.”

She wiped her face.

“I’m sorry.”

“That phrase is too small.”

“I know.”

“Then use facts.”

Ortiz pulled a chair closer to the bed.

Vanessa looked at her.

“Is this recorded?”

“Yes.”

“My attorney said I shouldn’t talk.”

“Your attorney is not here.”

“I told him not to come.”

Daniel folded his arms.

“Start with Evelyn.”

Vanessa closed her eyes.

“Three nights ago, I heard her in the east wing.”

“Doing what?”

“Moving the wardrobe.”

“You knew the room existed.”

“Yes.”

“How long?”

“Since before Mara died.”

Daniel’s jaw tightened.

Vanessa continued quickly.

“Mara showed it to me once. She thought it was funny that your family had a Cold War bunker. She called it the house’s secret pocket.”

Daniel thought of Lily’s words.

The house has pockets.

“What happened when you found Evelyn?”

“She had the key. She said Lily found it.”

“And?”

“I panicked.”

“You tied up a seventy-year-old woman because you panicked?”

“No. Not at first.”

Vanessa’s hands trembled.

“I called Aaron.”

Ortiz leaned forward.

“Why Aaron?”

“Because he told me years ago that if anyone ever opened that room, I was to call him before I called anyone else.”

Daniel stared.

“Years ago?”

“After Mara died.”

“Aaron told you that?”

“Yes.”

“What did he say when you called?”

“He came over.”

“Lily saw him,” Daniel said.

Vanessa nodded.

“He went into the storage room. Evelyn was inside the bunker. She had found empty archive boxes and knew someone had removed files. She accused me of helping.”

“Were you?”

“Yes.”

The word was barely audible.

Daniel turned away.

Vanessa cried harder.

“I moved boxes after Mara died. Aaron told me they contained confidential foundation documents that had to be destroyed.”

“And you believed him?”

“At first.”

“At first?”

“I knew later.”

“Later when?”

“Before you and I got together.”

Daniel faced her.

Every muscle in his body felt rigid.

“You knew before you moved into my house.”

“Yes.”

“You knew before you let Lily call you Vee.”

“Yes.”

“You knew before you accepted my ring.”

Vanessa covered her mouth.

“Yes.”

Daniel’s voice dropped.

“Why?”

“I loved you.”

“Don’t insult me.”

“I did.”

“You were watching me for Aaron.”

Her silence answered.

Daniel stepped back.

Ortiz said, “Tell us what happened to Evelyn.”

Vanessa swallowed.

“Aaron told her she was confused. Evelyn said she had already copied a page from one of Mara’s records and hidden it. Aaron asked where. She refused.”

“Then?”

“He told me to get rope.”

Daniel’s face went cold.

“You could have said no.”

“I know.”

“You could have called police.”

“I know.”

“You could have walked out.”

“I know.”

“But you tied her wrists.”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

Vanessa stared at the blanket.

“Because Aaron showed me a photograph of Lily leaving school.”

Daniel stopped breathing.

“What?”

“He said if I created another problem, the next accident would not look accidental.”

Ortiz’s expression changed.

“Do you have that photograph?”

“No. It was on his phone.”

Daniel moved to the bedside.

“If you knew he was threatening my daughter, why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because I knew what happened to Mara.”

The room became absolutely still.

Daniel heard the soft hiss of oxygen from the next bed space, the beep of Vanessa’s monitor, the distant wheels of a cart in the hallway.

“What happened to Mara?” he asked.

Vanessa looked at Ortiz.

Then at Daniel.

“I don’t know every detail.”

“Tell me what you know.”

“Two weeks before the crash, Mara confronted me about Northstar. I had been helping Aaron copy access codes and board records.”

“Why?”

“My brother owed money.”

“Marcus?”

“Yes. Gambling, loans, people he shouldn’t have borrowed from. Aaron paid the debt.”

“In exchange for you stealing records.”

“At first it was just meeting schedules. Then passwords. Then signature samples.”

Daniel closed his eyes.

Vanessa continued.

“I wanted out. Aaron said there was no out because he had evidence against me. Then Mara figured out Northstar.”

“And Victor walked in on the recording.”

“Yes.”

“Was Victor involved?”

“Not the way Mara thought. He had hidden Northstar’s original purpose, but the later theft wasn’t his.”

“Aaron’s?”

Vanessa nodded.

“How much?” Ortiz asked.

“I don’t know. Millions.”

“Who else?”

“Marcus handled some cash pickups. A banker named Lewis Dane approved transfers. Aaron controlled the shell companies.”

Daniel leaned closer.

“And Mara?”

Vanessa’s eyes filled again.

“The night she died, Aaron called me around seven. He asked whether Mara had contacted me. I said no. He was angry. He said she had taken something from his office.”

“What?”

“The blue ledger, I think. Or maybe a copy of it.”

“What happened next?”

“Marcus came to my apartment.”

Daniel’s hands clenched.

“He asked for my car.”

“What kind?” Ortiz asked.

“A black Mercedes.”

Daniel looked at her sharply.

Ortiz did too.

The witness from Mara’s crash had reported a dark sedan.

“Did you give it to him?” Ortiz asked.

“Yes.”

“When did he return?”

“After midnight.”

“What did he say?”

“Nothing at first. He was shaking. There was mud on his shoes.”

Daniel’s stomach turned.

“Did you ask what happened?”

“Yes.”

“What did he say?”

Vanessa looked at Daniel.

“He said, ‘It wasn’t supposed to go over.’”

Daniel gripped the bed rail.

For four years he had pictured Mara’s car losing control in rain.

Now he pictured headlights behind her.

A black sedan.

Marcus at the wheel.

Maybe Aaron beside him.

“Was Aaron with Marcus?”

“I don’t know.”

“Did Marcus say?”

“He said Aaron would fix it.”

Ortiz wrote quickly.

“Fix what?”

“The police. The car. Everything.”

Daniel’s voice broke.

“And you said nothing.”

Vanessa looked at him.

“I was terrified.”

“Mara was dead.”

“I know.”

“You watched me bury her.”

“I know.”

“You held Lily at the funeral.”

“I know.”

“You stood in my kitchen and told me grief would get easier.”

Vanessa sobbed.

Daniel did not soften.

“You knew.”

“I knew enough to know it wasn’t an ordinary accident.”

“That is knowing.”

Ortiz let the silence sit.

Then she asked, “Why did Marcus take the blue ledger yesterday?”

Vanessa wiped her face.

“Aaron called him after Evelyn was found. He said the ledger could destroy all of us. Marcus knew Lily had heard us talking about the garden years ago. He guessed Mara had hidden it there.”

“Why take you to the motel?”

“I followed Marcus. I wanted the ledger before Aaron got it.”

“To destroy it?” Daniel asked.

Vanessa shook her head.

“To give it to you.”

He laughed once.

“You expect me to believe that?”

“No. But it’s true.”

“What happened in the room?” Ortiz asked.

“Marcus was supposed to meet Victor for money. Aaron arrived first.”

Daniel looked at her.

“In person?”

“Yes.”

“What did he do?”

“He demanded the ledger. Marcus refused. He said he wanted enough money to disappear.”

“Then?”

“They fought. Marcus ran through the bathroom window with the ledger.”

“And you?”

“Aaron hit me and asked where Marcus would go.”

“Did you tell him?”

“No.”

“Why leave you alive?”

Vanessa looked almost ashamed.

“Because the motel manager knocked. Aaron left through the back.”

Ortiz asked for a description of what Aaron wore, what car he used, and whether he carried a weapon. Vanessa answered what she could.

Then Daniel asked the question he had been avoiding.

“Did Aaron kill Mara?”

Vanessa shook her head.

“I never heard him admit it.”

“But you think he did.”

“I think he ordered Marcus to scare her and take the evidence. I think something went wrong.”

“That isn’t the same as murder.” Ortiz’s tone was precise.

Vanessa looked at her.

“Then find Marcus.”

Ortiz’s phone rang.

She checked the screen and answered.

“Ortiz.”

She listened.

Her expression tightened.

“Where?”

Another pause.

“Alive?”

Daniel and Vanessa both stared at her.

Ortiz ended the call.

“They found Marcus.”

Vanessa gripped the blanket.

“Where?”

“An abandoned ranger cabin near Blackstone Reservoir.”

“Is he alive?” Daniel asked.

“Yes.”

May you like

[COMPLETED] She waited ten years for her fiancé, but the night she marri...

[COMPLETED] Five Years After My Mafia Husband Chose Another Woman, He Me...

[COMPLETED] I CALLED MY HUSBAND 18 TIMES WHILE OUR SON WAS DYING. EIGHT...

Ortiz stood.

“And he has the blue ledger.”