Chapter 13 - VANESSA’S LAST LIE
I wanted to believe the photograph was another trick.
Then Rachel confirmed it.
Vanessa had disappeared from federal custody during transfer.
Two agents had been injured.
Not shot.
Drugged.
Their coffee had been contaminated before departure.
“Vanessa did this?”
Rachel said, “We don’t know.”
“My children are with her.”
“Yes.”
I called Vanessa.
She answered.
“Adrian.”
“Where are they?”
“They’re safe.”
“Put Lily on.”
“Daddy?”
My knees almost gave out.
“Baby, are you okay?”
“Yes.”
“Is Noah okay?”
“He’s sleeping.”
“Where are you?”
Vanessa cut in.
“Don’t.”
“Vanessa.”
“I didn’t take them to hurt them.”
“You took my children.”
“To save them.”
“From who?”
“William.”
“He’s in federal custody.”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“What are you talking about?”
“William had people inside the transfer team.”
Rachel’s face changed.
Vanessa continued.
“I heard one of the agents make a call.”
“What call?”
“He said the package would arrive in forty minutes.”
“The package?”
“Lily and Noah.”
Rachel immediately started checking personnel records.
I gripped the phone.
“So you drugged agents and kidnapped my kids?”
“I didn’t drug anyone.”
“Then who did?”
“The driver.”
“Where is he?”
“Dead.”
Silence.
“What?”
“He tried to take us off-route. Another vehicle was waiting. I grabbed Lily and Noah and ran when they stopped.”
“Why didn’t you call?”
“I didn’t know who I could trust.”
“You could have called me.”
“I’m calling now.”
“Location.”
“No.”
“Vanessa.”
“Not until you listen.”
I nearly screamed.
“What?”
“There’s one person you still think is innocent.”
“Who?”
“Daniel.”
I looked toward the doorway.
My attorney was standing there.
He had just arrived.
He saw my face.
“What?”
Vanessa whispered through the phone:
“Daniel Brooks has worked for the Mercer family for twenty-seven years.”
I already knew that.
“He was my father’s attorney before me.”
“Yes.”
“He helped create the trust.”
“Yes.”
“Adrian, he also signed the paperwork committing Claire to Briarwood.”
The room went silent.
Daniel stared at me.
“What did she say?”
I stepped away from him.
“Did you sign Claire into Briarwood?”
His expression didn’t change.
Too controlled.
“Who told you that?”
Wrong answer.
I backed toward Rachel.
“Did you?”
Daniel sighed.
“Adrian.”
Rachel’s agents moved.
Daniel looked around.
Then laughed.
“I was hoping we could avoid this.”
He reached inside his jacket.
Agents raised weapons.
“Hands!”
He slowly removed his phone.
“Relax.”
Rachel said, “Put it down.”
He did.
I could barely process it.
“You knew Claire was alive?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“From the beginning.”
I wanted to hit him.
“You sat beside me at her memorial.”
“Yes.”
“You watched Lily cry.”
“Yes.”
“It was necessary.”
Claire stepped into the room.
Daniel finally looked shaken.
“Claire.”
“You son of a bitch.”
“I kept you alive.”
“You signed my commitment papers.”
“William wanted you dead.”
“So you put me in a cage?”
“I found an alternative.”
Claire laughed bitterly.
“Thank you.”
Daniel looked at me.
“Your father made me promise to protect the company.”
“My family is not the company.”
“To Richard, there was no difference.”
Rachel said, “You’re under arrest.”
Daniel smiled.
“No.”
Then every light in the building went out.
Darkness.
Someone screamed.
Gunshots exploded in the hallway.
Emergency lights flickered on.
Daniel was gone.
Rachel shouted orders.
My phone buzzed again.
Vanessa.
ONE HOUR.
OLD MERCER HOUSE.
COME ALONE IF YOU WANT YOUR CHILDREN.
I stared at the message.
The old Mercer house.
May you like
The place where my mother died.
And apparently, the place where this entire nightmare had started.
