Chapter 4 - Before the Funeral
Nathan barely slept.
At six in the morning, he called Daniel Price.
Daniel had once investigated employee theft for Nathan’s construction business.
Now he ran a small private investigation firm above a dentist’s office.
He listened without interrupting.
Then he asked for the photograph.
“And the original crash report,” Daniel said. “Whatever financial records you still have. Don’t confront her with anything else.”
“I already took the children.”
“That’s different. Keep doing what the police and your lawyer tell you about them.”
By noon, Nathan had hired a family attorney and signed permission for Daniel to review company records.
At two, Vanessa called from an unfamiliar number.
He answered because it might concern Noah.
“You found the picture,” she said.
Nathan stood in Beth’s kitchen.
“How did you know?”
A pause.
“Because you’re acting like this.”
“You knew my wife.”
“I worked with her for a few weeks.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“You were grieving.”
“For four years?”
“I didn’t want to be a reminder.”
Nathan gripped the edge of the counter.
“You let me tell you how lonely she was after we moved.”
“She was lonely.”
“You let me tell you I wished she’d made friends.”
“Nathan—”
“Were you at our house the night she died?”
“No.”
The answer came too fast.
Then she added, “Not that night.”
He said nothing.
Vanessa began to cry.
He used to move toward that sound automatically.
Now he listened for what came around it.
“I have given you everything,” she said.
“Did you hurt Lily?”
“No.”
“Did you threaten her?”
“She has been saying terrible things.”
“She’s six.”
“And she can still lie.”
Nathan ended the call.
Across the kitchen, Beth was washing a cup that had already been clean.
“She called Lily a liar?”
He nodded.
Beth turned off the water.
“I should have said something.”
Nathan looked up.
“About what?”
“Last winter. Lily didn’t want to go home. She said Vanessa got mad when you weren’t there.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I did.”
The words landed quietly.
Nathan remembered.
Beth beside his truck.
Lily taking too long to put on her coat.
His own voice saying Vanessa was strict, but she loved the kids.
He sat down.
Beth’s expression held no satisfaction.
Only grief.
His phone rang.
Daniel.
“I found her employment file.”
“Vanessa’s?”
“Yes. Claire requested an audit three days before she died.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“An audit of what?”
“Payments to a supplier that doesn’t appear to have supplied anything.”
“How much?”
May you like
Daniel exhaled.
“Enough that your father signed off on the account.”
