Chapter 12 - Vivienne’s Truth
The location led us to an abandoned lakeside house.
Reed wanted a full tactical team.
I wanted to tear the door off myself.
We compromised.
Agents surrounded the property.
I went in with Reed.
Vivienne sat on the kitchen floor.
Her lip was split.
One wrist was bruised.
She raised both hands.
“No gun.”
I stared at her.
“Where is Sofia?”
“Hayes moved her.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
I grabbed the back of a chair.
“You expect me to believe that?”
“No.”
Vivienne’s voice shook.
“I expect you to hate me.”
“Good start.”
She laughed once.
Bitterly.
“I stole from you.”
“I know.”
“I helped Michael move money.”
“I know.”
“I wore Sofia’s ring.”
My jaw tightened.
“Why?”
“Because I took it.”
I stepped toward her.
Reed blocked me with one arm.
Vivienne continued.
“I went to Sofia’s house after the crash.”
“Why?”
“To find the ledger.”
“And the ring?”
“It was inside the box.”
“So you stole it.”
“Yes.”
“Then wore it to my engagement dinner?”
Her eyes filled with shame.
“I wanted her memory erased.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
Vivienne looked down.
“I was jealous of a dead woman.”
“You were jealous before she died.”
“Yes.”
“You knew she was investigating you.”
“Yes.”
“Did you help Hayes hurt her?”
“No.”
“Did you know he would?”
Vivienne hesitated.
That was enough.
“You knew.”
“I knew he planned to scare her.”
I laughed in disbelief.
“Scare her?”
“I thought he’d threaten the audit. Her custody agreement. Something.”
“You worked with a corrupt detective and thought he’d send a strongly worded email?”
Vivienne started crying.
“I was selfish.”
“No. You were dangerous.”
She nodded.
“Yes.”
That surprised me.
No excuses.
No performance.
Just yes.
Reed asked, “Why did Hayes keep Sofia alive?”
Vivienne wiped her face.
“Because he couldn’t find the third drive.”
Laura had said the third drive was password-protected.
I looked at Reed.
“What was on it?”
Vivienne answered.
“Names.”
“What names?”
“Everyone who got paid.”
“Police?”
“Yes.”
“Judges?”
She looked away.
“Yes.”
“City officials?”
“Yes.”
Reed went still.
This was bigger than stolen company money.
Vivienne looked at me.
“Sofia knew the password.”
“So Hayes kept her alive.”
“He thought pain and drugs would make her talk.”
My stomach turned.
I stepped away.
“Where did he take her?”
“I don’t know.”
“Think.”
“He kept mentioning a place called Harbor Six.”
Reed immediately made a call.
Vivienne grabbed my sleeve.
I jerked away.
“Don’t touch me.”
She let go.
“There’s something else.”
“What?”
She looked terrified.
“Hayes didn’t sabotage Sofia’s car.”
I stared at her.
“Then who did?”
“I don’t know.”
“Michael?”
“No.”
“Who?”
Vivienne shook her head.
“Sofia’s brakes were cut before Hayes ever got involved.”
My skin went cold.
“That doesn’t make sense.”
“I know.”
“Then why would Hayes take her from the crash?”
“Because somebody called him before the crash even happened.”
Reed stopped talking on the phone.
We all looked at Vivienne.
“Who?”
May you like
She swallowed.
“The call came from inside your house.”
