Chapter 13 - WHAT VANESSA REALLY WANTED
Eric survived.
The bullet had passed through his shoulder without hitting an artery.
Police arrested Marcus.
Vanessa was taken into custody.
Thomas gave a statement.
So did Noah.
So did every guest trapped inside the chapel.
By sunset, Daniel sat in a hospital hallway with Mia asleep against his chest.
Her head rested under his chin.
Rachel sat beside him.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“Good answer.”
He gave a tired laugh.
Rachel looked at Mia.
“She was incredible today.”
“She should never have had to be.”
“No.”
Daniel rubbed Mia’s back.
“I almost married someone who wanted to send her away.”
“You didn’t.”
“Because Mia stopped me.”
Rachel said nothing.
Daniel looked at her.
“Did you know?”
“About Vanessa?”
“Yes.”
“I knew something was wrong.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Rachel laughed quietly.
“I did.”
Daniel frowned.
“When?”
“Three months ago.”
His expression changed.
She continued.
“I told you Vanessa was isolating Mia. I told you Mia was scared of her.”
“You said they weren’t bonding.”
“I was trying not to tell my employer his fiancée was cruel when he clearly didn’t want to hear it.”
Daniel looked away.
She was right.
That hurt most.
Rachel continued.
“You were grieving, Daniel.”
“Claire died four years ago.”
“Grief doesn’t use a calendar.”
He sighed.
Mia stirred.
“Mom?”
Daniel froze.
Mia opened her eyes.
Then realized.
“Oh.”
Her face fell.
Daniel kissed her forehead.
“I’m here.”
She sat up.
“Uncle Eric?”
“In surgery.”
“Is he going to jail?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Yes.”
Mia nodded slowly.
“He should.”
Daniel looked at her.
“But he saved you.”
“He also hurt Mom.”
Again, Claire.
Every sentence today somehow led back to her.
Mia leaned against him.
“What happens to Vanessa?”
“We’ll find out.”
They found out sooner than expected.
A detective approached.
“Mr. Carter?”
Daniel stood.
“Detective Ramos.”
“We need to clarify something.”
“What?”
“Vanessa Blake requested to speak with you.”
Rachel frowned.
“Why?”
Ramos looked uncomfortable.
“She says she has information about Claire Carter’s death that isn’t on the recording.”
Daniel felt the air leave his lungs.
Mia grabbed his hand.
“No.”
He looked down.
She shook her head.
“Don’t go alone.”
Daniel squeezed her hand.
“I won’t.”
Mia looked at Detective Ramos.
“You go.”
The detective almost smiled.
“Yes, ma’am.”
Vanessa sat in a small interview room.
No makeup.
Hair messy.
Wedding dress replaced by gray jail clothing.
Daniel barely recognized her.
She looked up.
“You came.”
“Talk.”
No greeting.
No sympathy.
Vanessa swallowed.
“Marcus didn’t plan Claire’s death.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“He followed her.”
“Yes.”
“He left her to die.”
“Yes.”
“Sounds planned enough.”
“He wanted the evidence.”
Daniel paused.
“What evidence?”
“Claire had a second copy.”
“Of what?”
“Something bigger than Eric’s theft.”
Daniel stared.
“Explain.”
Vanessa leaned closer.
“Your company was being used to move restricted technology through fake subcontractors.”
Daniel’s stomach dropped.
“Marcus?”
“Yes.”
“To who?”
“I don’t know all of them.”
“You expect me to believe you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
She looked down.
“I knew Marcus because Thomas and I once worked for one of those subcontractors.”
Thomas hadn’t mentioned that.
Daniel frowned.
“Doing what?”
“Bookkeeping.”
“You helped him?”
“At first, I didn’t know what it was.”
“And later?”
She didn’t answer.
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“I agreed to marry you because Marcus said it was the only way I could get out.”
Daniel stared.
“You expect sympathy?”
“No.”
“Then why tell me?”
“Because Marcus never lets people out.”
She swallowed.
“And because Claire knew that.”
Daniel went still.
“What?”
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
“Claire contacted me before she died.”
Daniel stared at her.
“She knew you?”
“She knew what I had done.”
“Why would she contact you?”
“She wanted me to testify.”
Daniel sat back.
Vanessa whispered, “I refused.”
His jaw clenched.
“Then she died.”
“Yes.”
“And four years later, you agreed to marry her husband.”
Vanessa began crying.
Daniel felt nothing.
“Why?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because Marcus told me if I didn’t, Mia would be next.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
“What?”
Vanessa wiped her face.
“He had pictures.”
“What pictures?”
“Of Mia.”
Daniel stood.
Vanessa continued quickly.
“School. Playground. Your house. He’d been watching her for months.”
“You should’ve told me!”
“I was terrified!”
“So you helped steal my company?”
“I thought if I did what he wanted, he’d leave her alone.”
Daniel stared at her.
“You wanted to send Mia away.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“To a school Marcus didn’t control.”
Daniel froze.
“What?”
“The boarding school.”
She looked at him.
“I picked one in Vermont. My cousin works there. She knew nothing about Marcus.”
Daniel’s anger faltered.
“You were trying to hide Mia?”
“Yes.”
“But the video—”
“I had to convince Eric I hated her.”
Daniel sat down slowly.
Vanessa whispered, “I did terrible things.”
She looked him in the eyes.
“But I never wanted your daughter dead.”
Daniel didn’t know what to believe anymore.
Then Vanessa said one final thing.
“And Claire knew Marcus had someone else inside Carter Aerospace.”
Daniel stared.
“Who?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“She never told me the name.”
“Why not?”
“Because she said that person was closer to you than Eric.”
Daniel’s stomach turned.
Closer than his own brother.
May you like
Vanessa whispered:
“She said you would never believe her.”
