Chapter 7
Vanessa tried to spin the story.
She went on a local morning show through a friend of her mother’s.
She wore soft pink.
No makeup.
Perfect tears.
“I loved Noah like my own,” she said. “But he has severe attachment issues.”
I turned off the TV before Noah came downstairs.
Grace watched the clip later and said words I will not repeat.
Then Mason appeared.
Mason was Vanessa’s younger brother.
Twenty-three.
Quiet.
Always uncomfortable at family events.
He came to my gate with a backpack and shaking hands.
“I need to tell you something,” he said.
I let him in with Nora present.
He looked at the muddy bear on the table and started crying.
“She did that to me too.”
The room went silent.
“What?”
Mason swallowed.
“When we were kids. If I cried for Dad after he left, Vanessa locked me in the shed. Mom said Vanessa was just strong-willed.”
Grace covered her mouth.
Mason continued.
“She always hated people who were loved by someone she couldn’t control.”
He handed Nora a flash drive.
“I saved messages. She talked about Noah. About the trust. About marrying Daniel before the end of the quarter.”
“Why the quarter?” Nora asked.
Mason looked at me.
“Because her debts were due.”
There it was.
Money again.
But when Nora opened the files, we found something worse.
May you like
A message from Vanessa to Paul Mercer.
If Laura had died when she was supposed to, Daniel would already be mine.
