Chapter 13 - THE MESSAGE SHE SENT
David handed me his phone.
GRAHAM: I HAVE THE BOY. JULIAN WILL PAY NOW.
VICTORIA: YOU SAID YOU WOULDN’T TOUCH HIM. BRING HIM BACK.
GRAHAM: GET ME THE ACCOUNT ACCESS FIRST.
VICTORIA: I’M CALLING THE POLICE.
GRAHAM: THEN HE GOES WITH ME.
I read the exchange again while Leo slept against my chest.
Victoria hadn’t ordered Graham to take him. She had given a desperate man details about our home, my son’s routine, and the people caring for him. She had kept Graham’s threat to herself while she tried to save the wedding.
David sat beside me. “The detective will speak with you again. They’re sorting out who did what.”
I nodded.
“There’s something else,” he said. “The transfer request came from a device connected to Leo’s tablet. Graham had copied its login credentials during his visit to your house. Victoria accessed your files later, but the bank requests appear to have come from Graham.”
“So she was telling the truth about the wire.”
“On that point.”
I looked through the exam-room window at Teresa sitting in the hall. She had an ice pack against her forehead and my mother’s coat around her shoulders. She noticed me looking and gave a small wave.
I waved back.
For months, Victoria had told me Teresa was too attached to Leo. She said Teresa tried to make herself indispensable, that I needed firmer boundaries in my own house. I had brushed it off because Teresa had always treated us both with respect.
Now I wondered how many times Victoria had tried to move her out of the way.
A nurse came in with the doctor. Leo was cleared to go home with instructions to watch for any change in his behavior. He woke long enough to protest when the doctor touched his feet, then reached for me again.
My phone lit up with a message from an unknown number.
I KNOW YOU DON’T WANT TO HEAR FROM ME. I NEED TO TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT TERESA.
It was Victoria.
I showed it to David. He advised me to send it to the detective and not respond. I did.
A second message arrived before I could put the phone away.
SHE TRIED TO WARN ME LAST WEEK. I SHOULD HAVE LISTENED.
I walked into the hallway.
“Teresa,” I said, “what happened last week?”
She looked at my phone. Then she looked at Leo.
“I found a payment reminder in Victoria’s car,” she said. “I asked whether she needed help talking to you.”
“And?”
“She told me to mind my own business.” Teresa swallowed. “The next day, she offered me six months’ pay to leave before the wedding.”
I felt a familiar coldness settle in my chest.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because she said she’d make sure I never worked with children again.”
May you like
Then Teresa reached into her bag and took out an envelope.
“I kept what she gave me.”
