Chapter 7 - the policy
The policy was worth thirty million dollars.
Vincent read the number twice.
Not because it was large.
Because it was meaningless.
There was no legitimate reason for anyone to insure Lily for thirty million dollars.
Edward sat across from him.
"The application was never finalized."
"Who prepared it?"
"A broker named Martin Shea."
"Who authorized him?"
"According to the forms, you did."
"I didn't."
"I know."
Vincent looked at the signature.
It was excellent.
Not perfect.
Excellent.
Someone had practiced.
"Beneficiary?"
Edward hesitated.
"A family entity."
"Which entity?"
"The Moretti Children's Preservation Trust."
Vincent frowned.
"I've never heard of it."
"Because it doesn't exist yet."
"Then why name it?"
Edward slid another document across the table.
"Draft trust agreement."
Vincent read.
The proposed trustee was Vanessa Cole.
He stopped on the third page.
"If Lily died?"
Edward nodded.
"Remaining assets move into the trustee's discretionary family fund."
"Vanessa."
"Yes."
Vincent stood so fast the chair struck the wall.
Edward did not move.
"I've already contacted a forensic document specialist."
"Police."
"Vincent."
"Call them."
"Before you do, think."
"My daughter has a forged life insurance application."
"I understand."
"No, you don't."
Edward's voice sharpened.
"I understand perfectly. But right now we have fraudulent drafts. We do not yet know who created them. If Vanessa is involved with Julian, and if Grace's death connects to this, you need more than anger."
Vincent stared at him.
Edward continued.
"You need evidence strong enough that nobody can destroy it."
Vincent looked toward the window.
"I left Lily with Martha."
"Good."
"I shouldn't have left her at all."
"She is safe."
"She was safe three months ago."
Edward said nothing.
Vincent turned.
"How long have these drafts existed?"
"Metadata suggests approximately seven months."
Before the engagement.
Vanessa had been planning before Vincent proposed.
That fact hurt more than he expected.
He remembered the night.
A private dinner.
Lily asleep upstairs.
Vanessa crying when he opened the ring box.
She had seemed genuinely surprised.
Maybe she had been.
Maybe the proposal had only accelerated a plan already underway.
Edward tapped the insurance form.
"There's more."
Vincent laughed once without humor.
"Of course there is."
"Martin Shea disappeared four months ago."
"Disappeared?"
"Closed his office. Accounts drained. Phone disconnected."
"Find him."
"I have someone working on it."
Vincent picked up the documents.
"I want copies of everything."
"You'll have them."
"And nobody contacts Vanessa."
"Agreed."
When Vincent returned to the mansion, Vanessa was gone.
She had left for the hotel as planned.
Lily was asleep in Martha's room.
Vincent stood over his daughter for several minutes.
The thin line of anxiety between her eyebrows remained even in sleep.
He felt ashamed.
Not because Vanessa had deceived him.
That was her crime.
Because Lily had tried to tell him.
And he had translated her fear into grief because grief was familiar.
He knew how to survive grief.
He did not know his daughter was asking to be rescued.
Martha entered quietly.
"She asked for you."
Vincent sat beside Lily.
"I failed her."
"No."
"I did."
Martha did not argue.
Vincent looked at her.
"You think I did too."
"I think you trusted someone."
"I trusted the wrong person."
"Yes."
"That is failure."
Martha sat.
"Then fail differently tomorrow."
Vincent looked at her.
It was the sort of thing Grace would have said.
He almost smiled.
Instead he handed Martha copies of the forged documents.
She read them.
Her face changed when she reached the insurance policy.
"She wouldn't."
"We don't know."
"You know enough."
"Not enough for court."
Martha gave him a cold look.
"Since when do you care about court before your daughter?"
Vincent almost reacted.
Then stopped.
"You're right."
Martha softened slightly.
"What will you do?"
"Vanessa doesn't come back until I say so."
"And the party?"
"Canceled."
Martha considered.
"Don't cancel it."
Vincent frowned.
"What?"
"If she is searching for the blue box, she believes time is running out."
"I am not using my daughter as bait."
"Neither am I."
"Then explain."
Martha placed the papers down.
"Vanessa expects the party. She expects a crowded house. Guests. Staff. Confusion."
Vincent understood.
"She plans to search during it."
"Likely."
"Then we let her."
"Under observation."
Vincent hated the idea.
But the more he thought, the more sense it made.
Vanessa would deny the forged documents.
She would blame Julian.
Or a broker.
Or an assistant.
She had already shown she could behave calmly under pressure.
If Vincent confronted her now, she might disappear.
If he pretended his suspicion had passed, she might lead them to what Grace had hidden.
"What about Lily?"
"She stays beside you or me every second."
Vincent looked at his daughter.
"No."
Martha waited.
Then he corrected himself.
"The party happens."
Martha nodded.
"But Lily does not participate in this."
"Agreed."
Vincent stood.
He called Vanessa.
She answered immediately.
"Vincent?"
He forced his voice to sound tired.
"Come home tomorrow."
Silence.
"Are you sure?"
"We overreacted."
Martha looked at him.
Vanessa exhaled.
"Lily was frightened."
"I know."
"I would never hurt her."
Vincent closed his eyes.
"I know."
The lie tasted poisonous.
Vanessa's voice softened.
"I love you."
Vincent looked at the sleeping child.
"I'll see you tomorrow."
He ended the call without saying it back.
At the hotel, Vanessa lowered her phone.
Julian was sitting across from her.
"Well?"
"He bought it."
Julian smiled.
"You sound disappointed."
"He should trust me."
"You are planning to steal control of his family and potentially send him to prison if he interferes."
Vanessa looked at him.
"I didn't say I deserved his trust."
She opened her handbag.
Inside was the photograph of Grace at the lake.
She placed it on the table.
"The key exists."
"How do you know?"
"Lily hid something from me."
"That proves nothing."
"Grace loved puzzles."
Julian looked at the photograph.
"Then we finish this at the engagement party."
Vanessa nodded.
"And if the child talks?"
May you like
Julian's eyes remained on Grace's face.
"Then make sure Vincent thinks she's lying."
