Chapter 6 - someone inside the house)
Laura ran outside and called the police.
Officers searched every room.
No intruder remained.
The back window in the laundry room had been forced open.
Nothing obvious was stolen.
The message was photographed and collected.
Sarah arrived before midnight.
Owen arrived ten minutes later.
"Emily stays somewhere else tonight," he said.
"She's already at my sister's."
"Good."
Laura looked toward the stairs.
"Whoever came in knew where her clips were."
Owen shook his head.
"Maybe not. Those clips are common."
"The point was to make me think of her."
"Yes."
Sarah asked the officers whether they could connect the break in to Vanessa.
They could not.
Vanessa had attended a charity event across town, surrounded by dozens of witnesses.
Daniel called when he heard.
"Are you okay?"
Laura nearly hung up.
Then she heard genuine fear in his voice.
"Did you know?"
"Know what?"
"That somebody might come after me."
"No."
"Miles says Vanessa is involved in fraud."
Silence.
Laura closed her eyes.
"You knew."
"Not everything."
"How much?"
"Enough."
"Then tell me."
Daniel's voice lowered.
"Not on the phone."
"You don't get to decide how this happens anymore."
"Laura, please."
The word please stopped her.
Daniel rarely pleaded.
He always negotiated.
"Tomorrow," she said. "Sarah's office. Nine."
He agreed.
Daniel arrived ten minutes early.
He looked as though he had not slept.
Sarah recorded the meeting with everyone's consent.
Daniel began with the affair.
He said Vanessa had approached him during a difficult period at work.
Laura listened without expression.
She refused to give him forgiveness simply because the consequences had become frightening.
Then he described the transfers.
Vanessa convinced him several accounts were being moved for tax purposes.
He signed authorizations.
Later, Miles confronted him.
Daniel realized client money had vanished.
"Why didn't you go to police?" Laura asked.
"I was scared."
"Of prison?"
"Of losing everything."
"You lost everything anyway."
Daniel looked down.
"Yes."
Sarah asked about Eric Cole.
Daniel claimed Vanessa told him Eric was an abusive ex boyfriend.
Not a husband.
She said he stalked her.
"Did you ever meet him?"
"Once."
"When?"
"Eight months ago."
"Where?"
"Parking garage at work."
"What happened?"
"He told me Vanessa was dangerous."
Laura stared at him.
"And you stayed with her."
Daniel nodded slowly.
"Yes."
"Why?"
No answer came.
Sarah asked about Meadow Lane.
Daniel admitted he knew Vanessa used it.
He claimed she said it belonged to a relative.
He knew Emily had been there twice.
He did not know Vanessa was questioning her on camera.
"You're lying," Laura said.
Daniel looked at her.
"About which part?"
"The night I asked you about the red room, you knew exactly what I meant."
"I knew she'd taken Emily there."
"Why?"
"Vanessa said she was helping Emily adjust."
"You're an intelligent man, Daniel. You expect me to believe that?"
His face tightened.
"No."
The room went silent.
Daniel rubbed both hands together.
"I knew Vanessa wanted information about you."
Laura's eyes filled with tears.
"You let her question our daughter to build a custody case."
"I didn't know she threatened her."
"But you knew she was manipulating her."
"Yes."
Laura stood and walked to the window.
For several seconds she could not speak.
When she turned back, the tears were gone.
"You will never again tell me I made Emily afraid."
Daniel nodded.
"You will never call me unstable."
"I won't."
"And if there is one more thing you're hiding, you tell us now."
Daniel looked at Sarah.
Then at Laura.
"There is a video."
Laura stopped breathing.
"Miles told me."
"No. Not the interview video."
"What video?"
Daniel swallowed.
"A security recording from my apartment."
Laura sat slowly.
"What does it show?"
"Vanessa talking to someone."
"Who?"
"I don't know. She used a name I didn't recognize."
"What name?"
"Victor."
Sarah wrote it down.
"What did they discuss?"
"Eric."
Laura felt cold.
Daniel continued.
"I had installed cameras after some jewelry went missing. Vanessa didn't know."
"What did she say?"
Daniel looked sick.
"She said Eric had made a mistake by thinking he could leave."
Sarah stopped writing.
"What exactly did she say?"
Daniel closed his eyes.
"She said, Eric thought the police would protect him. Now nobody knows where he is."
Laura whispered, "Where's the recording?"
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"Missing."
"What?"
"I copied it onto a drive. Then the drive disappeared."
"Who knew?"
"Only me."
Laura stared at him.
"No."
"What?"
"Someone else knew."
"Who?"
"Whoever broke into my house."
Daniel's face drained.
Sarah asked, "Why would they think Laura had it?"
Daniel looked at Laura.
"Because I told Vanessa I gave it to you."
Laura stood.
"You did what?"
"I needed her to stop searching my apartment."
"So you pointed her at me."
"I didn't think she'd break in."
Laura walked toward him.
For one second Daniel flinched, perhaps remembering the slap in a courtroom that had not happened yet.
Laura stopped inches away.
"If Emily gets hurt because of you again, there will be no apology big enough to matter."
Daniel nodded.
"I know."
His phone vibrated.
He looked down.
A text message.
Daniel's expression changed.
"What is it?" Sarah asked.
He handed her the phone.
Unknown number.
One sentence.
YOU SHOULD HAVE KEPT YOUR MOUTH SHUT.
Attached was a photograph.
May you like
Taken minutes earlier.
It showed Emily walking into school.
