Chapter 9 - THE SIGNATURE
Daniel placed the document in front of Vanessa.
She stared at her signature.
Then she closed her eyes.
“Explain.”
“I can’t.”
“Try.”
They were alone except for Bennett.
Vanessa looked exhausted.
“My father told me you were planning to leave.”
“I wasn’t.”
“I know that now.”
“You signed papers to take my daughter from me.”
“He told me it was protection.”
“Protection from what?”
“You.”
Daniel laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
Vanessa started crying.
“He said you were documenting the bruises.”
“I was asking questions.”
“He said you were building a custody case.”
“So your response was to build one first?”
Vanessa couldn’t answer.
Daniel leaned forward.
“Did you ever ask yourself why I was documenting bruises?”
Silence.
“Did you ever ask Emily?”
Vanessa’s face crumpled.
“No.”
That was the answer Daniel needed.
Not because she was cruel.
Because she had chosen comfort over truth.
Every time.
Her father told her Daniel was dangerous.
She believed him.
Rebecca told her Emily bruised easily.
She believed her.
Emily became afraid.
Vanessa called it a phase.
The truth had been standing in front of her.
But believing it would have required Vanessa to challenge her family.
So she looked away.
Daniel stood.
“I’m filing for emergency custody.”
Vanessa nodded.
“I know.”
“And divorce.”
Her eyes closed.
“I know.”
Daniel expected an argument.
There wasn’t one.
Then Vanessa surprised him.
“I’ll sign whatever you need.”
Daniel stopped.
“Why?”
“Because Emily is afraid of me.”
Vanessa looked toward the hallway.
“And she has every reason to be.”
For the first time, Daniel saw something in her that looked like accountability.
It didn’t repair anything.
But it mattered.
Detective Bennett’s phone rang.
She answered.
Her expression changed immediately.
“What?”
Daniel watched her.
Bennett stood.
“Where?”
She listened.
Then hung up.
“They found Rebecca.”
“Where?”
“At a motel outside Albany.”
Daniel exhaled.
“Is she alive?”
“Yes.”
“Did she surrender?”
Bennett looked at him.
“No.”
“She called us.”
“Why?”
“She says she wants to confess.”
Daniel felt no relief.
Because Bennett wasn’t finished.
“She also says Richard didn’t know what happened to Emily until tonight.”
Daniel frowned.
“That makes no sense.”
“It gets worse.”
May you like
Bennett picked up her coat.
“Rebecca says someone else in Blackwood Manor knew everything.”
