Chapter 10 - Teresa Grant Was Still Alive)
Two days later, Marcus found Teresa.
She was alive.
She had lived under another name for nearly two years before eventually returning to her legal identity in a rural county.
Daniel flew to Vermont alone.
Rachel stayed with Sophie.
Marcus met Daniel outside a small farmhouse surrounded by pine trees.
"She almost refused."
"Why changed her mind?"
"You."
Daniel frowned.
"She saw the wedding video."
They entered.
Teresa Grant was fifty eight.
Thin.
Gray streaked dark hair.
Alert eyes.
She looked at Daniel for a long time.
"You look older."
He sat across from her.
"We've never met."
"No."
"Then how do you know what I looked like?"
"Emily showed me pictures."
Daniel's throat tightened.
"When?"
"The week before she died."
Marcus remained near the door.
Daniel asked, "You knew my wife?"
Teresa nodded.
"I worked in compliance for Whitmore Medical Logistics."
"Victor's company?"
"One of them."
"And Emily?"
"She found irregularities through the Bennett Foundation."
"What irregularities?"
Teresa gave a bitter smile.
"Medical supplies that existed on paper but not in warehouses. Construction payments for facilities never completed. Equipment purchased twice."
"Fraud."
"At first."
"Then what?"
Teresa looked toward the window.
"Then Emily found patient records."
Daniel frowned.
"What records?"
"Children."
The word made the room colder.
"Experimental treatment programs."
Marcus stepped forward.
"Illegal trials?"
Teresa nodded.
"Some hospitals were using grant money to test unapproved protocols through subcontractors. Families thought they were receiving standard treatment."
Daniel stared.
"Victor was involved?"
"He moved money."
"Did he know what the programs were?"
"Eventually."
Daniel thought of Victor's video.
Ardent Meridian.
"What is Ardent Meridian?"
Teresa's expression changed immediately.
Fear.
"Where did you hear that?"
"Victor."
She stood.
"This was a mistake."
Daniel rose.
"Teresa."
"You need to leave."
"Emily died because of them."
Teresa looked at him.
"No."
Daniel froze.
"You saw the crash."
"Yes."
"Then tell me what happened."
Teresa's hands began shaking.
"I followed Emily that night because she asked me to."
"Why?"
"She thought someone was watching her."
Daniel's heart pounded.
"What happened?"
"There was a truck."
"I know."
"The truck crossed the line."
"I know."
"No."
Teresa shook her head.
"It didn't drift."
Daniel stared.
"It waited."
Silence.
"The truck was parked on a side road. When Emily's car approached, it accelerated directly into her lane."
Daniel gripped the chair.
"You told police?"
"Yes."
"And?"
"They took my statement."
"Why wasn't it in the final report?"
Teresa laughed bitterly.
"Because someone removed it."
"Victor?"
"I thought so."
"But now?"
Teresa's eyes filled with tears.
"Victor was terrified after Emily died."
Daniel frowned.
"Why?"
"He wasn't supposed to kill her."
"Who was?"
"I don't know."
"You just said."
"I said Victor wasn't supposed to."
Daniel stepped closer.
"Teresa, who ordered the crash?"
She looked at Marcus.
Then Daniel.
"I never learned the name."
"But you know something."
She swallowed.
"The man who arranged it used the name Jonathan Vale."
Daniel's face changed.
Marcus noticed.
"You know him?"
Daniel could barely speak.
Jonathan Vale had been Daniel's financial adviser for nine years.
May you like
More importantly, Jonathan had handled Emily's life insurance.
And he had been the person who introduced Daniel to Claire Whitmore at the charity gala.
