Chapter 5 - VANESSA’S SECRET PARTNER
Police found Vanessa six hours later.
Alive.
She was sitting inside a motel room in Santa Monica.
Alone.
There was no injury.
The blood in her car was chicken blood.
The entire disappearance had been staged.
Hale stared at her across the motel room.
“You really thought that would work?”
Vanessa said nothing.
“You wanted us looking for Cole.”
Still nothing.
Ethan stood near the doorway.
“Why?”
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because Cole is dangerous.”
“You paid him.”
Her eyes shifted.
“Sophie saw you.”
Vanessa smiled sadly.
“She misunderstands things.”
“Stop using her age as a shield.”
Hale placed a photograph on the table.
Security footage from a gas station.
Vanessa handing Cole an envelope.
“Twenty thousand dollars.”
Vanessa stared at the photograph.
“What did you pay him for?”
Silence.
Hale leaned closer.
“To break into Daniel’s storage unit?”
Her jaw tightened.
“To scare Rachel?”
Nothing.
“To take Sophie?”
Vanessa’s head snapped up.
“No.”
The speed of the answer mattered.
Ethan saw it.
Hale did too.
“Then what?”
Vanessa exhaled.
“He was supposed to destroy something.”
“What?”
“A recording.”
Ethan stared.
“What recording?”
Vanessa looked exhausted.
“For years Cole claimed Daniel recorded conversations before he died.”
“What conversations?”
“With me.”
Hale sat opposite her.
“About what?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Our marriage.”
“That doesn’t explain murder.”
“I didn’t murder Daniel.”
“Then why destroy the recording?”
Vanessa’s voice broke.
“Because I said things.”
“What things?”
“Ugly things.”
“Such as?”
She looked at Ethan.
“I told Daniel sometimes I wished he were dead.”
Silence.
Ethan felt sick.
Vanessa continued.
“He was controlling.”
Hale said, “Daniel’s family described him differently.”
“Families always do.”
“Did you drug him?”
“No.”
“Did you put sedatives in his drink?”
“No.”
“Did Cole?”
Vanessa froze.
Hale leaned forward.
“There it is.”
Ethan watched her.
“Cole helped you.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.”
“You just gave him twenty thousand dollars.”
“To destroy the recording.”
“Why would he help you?”
Vanessa stood.
“Because he hated Daniel too!”
Everyone went silent.
The words echoed around the motel room.
Hale slowly rose.
“Now we’re getting somewhere.”
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Ethan stared.
“What did Cole do?”
She refused to answer.
Hale stepped closer.
“What happened on that dock?”
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.
“Daniel was leaving me.”
“That’s not an answer.”
“He said he was taking everything.”
“Vanessa.”
“He threatened to expose me.”
“For what?”
Vanessa looked at Ethan.
“For stealing.”
Ethan frowned.
“Stealing what?”
“Money.”
“How much?”
“Two hundred thousand.”
Ethan laughed once.
No humor.
“You stole from your first husband?”
“I was scared.”
“Of what?”
“Being poor again.”
There it was.
Not love.
Not fear.
Money.
Vanessa wiped her face.
“Cole knew.”
Hale asked, “And he wanted part of it?”
“Yes.”
“So you paid him?”
“Years later.”
“For silence?”
“Yes.”
“Then why did he break into Rachel’s house?”
“I don’t know.”
Ethan stepped forward.
“You’re lying.”
Vanessa looked at him.
“You always touch your ring when you lie.”
Her hand instantly dropped.
Ethan had noticed the habit months ago.
He had thought it was nervousness.
Now he understood.
“Where is Cole?”
“I don’t know.”
“You do.”
“No.”
Hale’s phone rang.
He walked aside.
Thirty seconds later he turned.
“Cole just used Vanessa’s credit card.”
“Where?”
“A marina in Long Beach.”
Vanessa’s entire body stiffened.
Hale caught it.
“You know the place.”
Vanessa whispered, “No.”
“Yes, you do.”
Her breathing became shallow.
Ethan said, “What’s at the marina?”
Vanessa looked toward him.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely afraid.
“Daniel’s boat.”
Hale frowned.
“I thought it was sold.”
“So did everyone.”
“And it wasn’t?”
Vanessa shook her head.
“Cole hid it.”
“Why?”
Her voice dropped.
“Because Daniel hid something on board.”
Ethan felt another chill.
“What?”
Vanessa looked at him.
May you like
“The original recording.”
And somewhere in Long Beach, the one piece of evidence capable of proving what happened seven years ago was waiting to be found.
