Chapter 13 - THE SECOND CAR
Traffic cameras from two years earlier were incomplete.
But not useless.
Sarah found one image from a gas station three miles before Melissa’s crash.
Melissa’s silver sedan passed at 9:41 p.m.
Twenty seconds later, a black SUV followed.
Registered owner at the time:
Vanessa Shaw.
Daniel stared at the screen.
“She followed Melissa.”
Sarah nodded.
Vanessa was brought back for another interview.
At first, she denied it.
Then Sarah showed her the image.
Vanessa started shaking.
“I didn’t touch her car.”
“You followed her.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Margaret told me to.”
“What happened?”
Vanessa covered her face.
“She called me after Melissa left the house.”
“Whose house?”
“Margaret’s.”
Daniel watched from the observation room.
Melissa had been with his mother that night.
Vanessa continued.
“Margaret said Melissa had stolen documents and was driving to Daniel.”
Sarah leaned forward.
“Then what?”
“I followed her.”
“Did you know the brakes were damaged?”
“No.”
“But you knew Thomas had worked on the car.”
“Yes.”
“You knew Margaret wanted Melissa scared.”
“Yes.”
“Keep going.”
Vanessa cried.
“Melissa was driving too fast.”
“Why?”
“She saw me behind her.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Melissa had been afraid.
“She called someone,” Vanessa said.
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then?”
“She reached the hill.”
Vanessa swallowed.
“Her brake lights flashed.”
Daniel’s hands clenched.
“She started swerving.”
Sarah said nothing.
Vanessa’s voice dropped.
“I could have stopped.”
Daniel opened his eyes.
“What?”
Vanessa continued.
“I could have called 911 sooner.”
Sarah leaned closer.
“How long did you wait?”
Vanessa cried harder.
“I don’t know.”
“How long?”
“Maybe… twelve minutes.”
Daniel slammed his fist into the wall.
Twelve minutes.
Melissa had been trapped in that wreck for twelve minutes while Vanessa sat nearby.
“Why?”
Vanessa sobbed.
“I panicked.”
Sarah’s voice was cold.
“Or you wanted to see if she survived.”
Vanessa said nothing.
That silence was an answer.
Then Sarah asked, “Who did Melissa call?”
Phone records provided the answer.
At 9:44 p.m., Melissa called Daniel.
He had no memory of receiving it.
Because he hadn’t.
His phone records showed the call lasted fourteen seconds.
Daniel looked confused.
“I never answered.”
Sarah asked, “Who had your phone?”
Daniel thought.
Then remembered.
He had been in a meeting.
His phone was charging in Margaret’s kitchen.
His mother had hosted the meeting.
She had answered Melissa’s call.
Sarah recovered the carrier voicemail fragment.
Only eight seconds remained.
Melissa’s terrified voice.
“Margaret, give Daniel the phone. My brakes—”
Then silence.
Daniel sat frozen.
Margaret knew.
While Melissa was still driving.
While she was still alive.
Margaret knew her brakes had failed.
She could have warned her.
Called police.
Called Daniel.
Anything.
Instead, she did nothing.
The prosecutor upgraded the case.
Conspiracy.
Fraud.
Child abuse charges.
Evidence tampering.
Potential homicide charges depending on state law and causation.
Margaret’s empire collapsed in less than a week.
But Lily was still waking from nightmares.
One night Daniel found her sitting up in bed.
“Daddy?”
“I’m here.”
“She come back?”
“No.”
“Promise?”
Daniel sat beside her.
“I promise I will do everything I can to keep you safe.”
Lily studied him.
“Forever?”
He kissed her forehead.
“Forever.”
The next morning, Sarah called.
“We found one last video on the basement camera.”
Daniel’s chest tightened.
“What?”
“It isn’t abuse footage.”
“Then what is it?”
Sarah hesitated.
“It’s Margaret talking to Vanessa.”
“About Lily?”
“Yes.”
“What does she say?”
Sarah’s answer made Daniel go cold.
“She tells Vanessa they have thirty days to make you look unstable.”
“Why thirty days?”
“Because Margaret had already filed a petition.”
May you like
“For what?”
“To remove you as Lily’s father.”
