Chapter 4 - the first husband
Adrian Hale had vanished five years before Vanessa met Ethan.
According to the official report, he had left his car beside a bridge outside Baltimore. His wallet, phone and wedding ring were found inside.
No body was recovered.
Police suspected suicide, but the case remained open.
Two months after Adrian’s disappearance, Vanessa petitioned the court to have him declared legally dead.
The petition was denied because too little time had passed.
She tried again three years later, only weeks before meeting Ethan.
That request was granted.
Ethan read the documents inside his office with the blinds closed.
His security director, Miles Chen, sat across from him.
Miles had worked beside Ethan since the company consisted of four employees and a rented room above a hardware store.
He had never trusted Vanessa.
He had also been wise enough not to say it.
“There’s more,” Miles said.
He placed a photograph on the desk.
It showed Adrian and Vanessa leaving a financial crimes hearing six years earlier.
“What was the hearing about?”
“Adrian worked for Halcyon Trust.”
Ethan knew the name.
Halcyon Trust had collapsed after hundreds of clients discovered money missing from private inheritance accounts.
“Was he charged?”
“No. He was a systems analyst. Investigators believed someone used his access credentials, but they couldn’t prove who.”
“And Vanessa?”
“She was questioned because she managed client relations.”
Ethan studied the photograph.
Vanessa looked younger, but her expression was the same controlled smile she wore at charity events.
“What happened to the missing money?”
“Most of it was never recovered.”
Miles opened another file.
“Adrian disappeared three days before he was scheduled to testify before a federal grand jury.”
Ethan leaned back.
“Vanessa told me he died after a long illness.”
“She also told you Sophie’s therapist uses a dead dentist’s license number.”
Ethan looked toward the window.
His company logo was reflected in the glass.
“How much does she know about our internal systems?”
Miles hesitated.
“That depends on what you’ve given her.”
“House access. Family accounts. Foundation records.”
“Trust documents?”
“No.”
Miles did not look relieved.
“Claire’s family trust?”
Ethan’s gaze sharpened.
Claire’s parents had created a trust for Sophie worth more than forty million dollars. Ethan managed it until Sophie turned twenty-five, but he could not alter the principal beneficiary.
Vanessa knew the trust existed.
She did not know its protections.
At least, she should not have known.
“When did Vanessa last access your home office?” Miles asked.
“She doesn’t have the code.”
“Are you sure?”
Ethan thought of the strange login notification he had dismissed two weeks earlier.
He entered the security portal.
The office door had been opened at 2:14 a.m. on the previous Sunday.
The system listed Ethan’s personal access code.
He had been asleep beside Vanessa at the time.
“Someone copied my code.”
Miles stood.
“We should call the police.”
“Not yet.”
“Ethan.”
“If Vanessa is connected to Halcyon, we don’t know who else is involved.”
“You have a child in that house.”
The words landed heavily.
Ethan closed the file.
“I’m taking Sophie out tonight.”
“And telling Vanessa what?”
“That we’re visiting my sister.”
Miles shook his head.
“If Vanessa thinks you know, she may destroy evidence.”
“Evidence comes second.”
Ethan stood.
“Sophie comes first.”
He left the office before five, but a highway collision trapped him in traffic for almost two hours.
He called the house.
Vanessa answered.
“Sophie is taking a bath,” she said.
“Put her on the phone.”
“She can call when she’s finished.”
“I want to speak to her now.”
There was a pause.
“You sound upset.”
“I had a difficult day.”
“I’ll tell her you called.”
The line disconnected.
Ethan tried again.
No answer.
He opened the home security application.
The living room camera was offline.
So were the kitchen, hallway and exterior cameras.
Only the device inside the garage remained active.
It showed Vanessa’s car missing.
Ethan called the housekeeper, Mrs. Bell.
She answered in a whisper.
“Mr. Mercer?”
“Where is Sophie?”
“I thought she was with Mrs. Mercer.”
“Vanessa said she was taking a bath.”
Mrs. Bell became silent.
“I haven’t seen Sophie since lunch.”
Ethan gripped the steering wheel.
“Check her bedroom.”
He heard footsteps, a door opening and Mrs. Bell calling Sophie’s name.
Then another sound came through the phone.
A faint knocking.
Not from the bedroom.
From somewhere beneath the stairs.
Mrs. Bell lowered her voice.
“Sir, someone is inside the old service cupboard.”
Ethan’s blood turned cold.
“Open it.”
“The door is locked.”
The knocking came again.
Three small taps.
May you like
Then Sophie’s voice.
“Daddy?”
