Chapter 8 - THE NIGHT OF NOVEMBER FOURTH
Renata claimed she did not know how the date had appeared on her palm.
No one believed her.
“I fell asleep in the car,” she said. “Someone could have written it while I was at the clinic.”
Emma examined the ink.
“It has faded unevenly. It was written hours ago.”
“Then perhaps Lily did it.”
Lily shook her head.
Renata pulled her hand away.
“Of course she denies it.”
Grant remained missing.
At eleven thirty, the police established a command post near the entrance to the estate. They warned the family not to approach the boathouse. A tactical team would search it before midnight.
Eleanor objected.
“If the person holding my son sees officers, he may kill him.”
The lead detective, Mara Voss, did not soften.
“If we deliver a seven-year-old child, he may kill them both.”
Emma liked her immediately.
Detective Voss was in her early forties, direct and observant. She asked Emma to recount every event since her arrival.
The hidden cameras.
The recording.
The archive.
The donor file.
The message.
Voss listened without interrupting.
When Emma finished, the detective asked, “Why did you not contact police after finding the first camera?”
“I had no proof who installed it.”
“You had proof a child was being recorded in her bedroom.”
Emma accepted the criticism.
“I thought I could identify the person responsible before the evidence disappeared.”
“And instead a man disappeared.”
“Yes.”
Voss studied her.
“Do not make another independent decision.”
Emma glanced at Lily.
“I won’t promise that.”
Detective Voss almost smiled.
“Then promise you’ll make better ones.”
At eleven fifty, the tactical team entered the boathouse.
It was empty.
They found Grant’s blood on a chair, but not enough to indicate a fatal injury. A portable television sat on a table beside a digital timer.
At midnight, the screen turned on.
The feed was transmitted to the mansion.
Grant appeared seated in a dark room.
His hands were tied.
A cut marked his forehead.
“Dad,” Lily whispered.
The single word was barely audible, but everyone heard it.
Grant looked directly toward the camera.
“Do not bring Lily anywhere,” he said. “This is about the Vale trust.”
A distorted voice spoke from offscreen.
“Tell them the truth.”
Grant swallowed.
“Claire’s trust contains a succession clause. If Lily is declared medically incompetent or removed from my legal care, control passes to a secondary beneficiary.”
“Name the beneficiary.”
Grant looked down.
“Daniel Vale.”
Every head turned toward Daniel.
He laughed in disbelief.
“I didn’t know.”
The distorted voice continued.
“And if Daniel dies?”
Grant closed his eyes.
“Control passes to Eleanor.”
Eleanor did not move.
“And after Eleanor?”
Grant hesitated.
The unseen captor struck him.
Lily cried out.
Emma wrapped both arms around her.
“Answer,” the voice ordered.
“Renata Vale,” Grant said.
The screen went black.
Silence filled the security room.
Renata stepped backward.
“This proves nothing.”
Daniel turned toward her.
“It proves you benefit if Lily is removed, I die, and Mother dies.”
“That would require three catastrophes.”
“Claire is already dead.”
Renata slapped him.
The sound echoed.
Daniel touched his cheek.
“You always did act before thinking.”
Renata’s face went pale.
“You don’t know me.”
“I knew you before Grant did.”
Eleanor looked between them.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel smiled without humor.
“Ask her where she was eight years ago.”
Renata said nothing.
Daniel continued.
“She worked at St. Orison’s under another name.”
Detective Voss stepped forward.
“What name?”
“Rena Davor.”
Patient D.V.
Emma understood.
“The initials on the medical file weren’t Daniel Vale.”
Renata looked toward the door.
Two officers blocked it.
Emma held up the donor form.
“You were the recipient.”
Renata’s eyes filled with rage.
“You have no right to read my medical records.”
“What do you need from Lily?”
“Nothing.”
“Then why test her blood?”
Renata pressed her lips together.
Daniel answered for her.
“Renata has a rare hereditary blood disorder. She requires regular marrow treatment.”
Emma felt sick.
“Lily is a match.”
“A potential match,” Daniel said.
Renata’s restraint broke.
“I was not going to hurt her. The procedure would have been controlled.”
“You lied to her father.”
“Because he would say no.”
“He had the right to say no.”
“What about my right to live?”
Lily shrank against Emma.
Renata saw it.
For a moment, shame crossed her face.
Then she looked away.
Detective Voss asked, “Did Claire know about your condition?”
“Yes.”
“Did she know you were being treated as Rena Davor?”
Renata nodded slowly.
“Claire and I met at St. Orison’s.”
Grant’s mother stared at her.
“You told us you met him at a foundation dinner.”
“I lied.”
“Why?”
“Because Claire asked me to.”
Emma frowned.
“Claire introduced you to Grant?”
Renata’s eyes glistened.
“Not exactly.”
She sank into a chair.
“Three months before the boating accident, Claire contacted me. She said someone inside the family had discovered Lily was compatible with my condition. She believed they planned to use that connection.”
“Who planned it?”
“She never told me.”
“Why did Claire help you?”
Renata looked at Lily.
“Because she believed I was Lily’s biological mother.”
No one spoke.
Lily stared at Renata.
Emma felt the child’s hand go limp inside hers.
Renata began crying.
“I gave birth to a daughter seven years ago at St. Orison’s. I was told the baby died. Claire claimed the records were false.”
Eleanor stepped back as though struck.
“That is impossible.”
“Claire had photographs. Blood reports. A bracelet with my patient number.”
“Grant is Lily’s father,” Eleanor said.
“Yes.”
The word came from Renata immediately.
“But Claire may not have been her mother.”
Lily pulled away from Emma.
She walked toward the mirrored wall.
Her reflection faced the room.
Renata rose.
“Lily.”
The child covered her ears.
The security monitor turned on again.
This time, it did not show Grant.
It showed live footage of the bathroom beside Lily’s bedroom.
A hooded figure entered and placed Claire’s silver recorder beneath the sink.
Then the figure removed the hood.
May you like
Claire Vale looked directly into the camera.
The time stamp showed the footage had been recorded ten minutes earlier.
