Chapter 9 - VANESSA’S LAST LIE
Margaret read the toxicology report three times.
Then she vomited.
Daniel stood outside the bathroom while Michael waited by the window.
Six years.
For six years they had buried Charles Harrison believing his heart had simply stopped.
Now a toxicology report suggested deliberate exposure to a compound capable of causing cardiac arrhythmia.
Margaret emerged pale.
“Howard handled the autopsy paperwork.”
Michael nodded.
“Yes.”
“He told me there was nothing unusual.”
“Yes.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Their family attorney had access to the trust.
The surveillance network.
Foundation accounts.
His father’s medical records.
“Where is Howard?” Daniel asked.
Michael looked at his phone.
“His office says he left yesterday.”
“For where?”
“They don’t know.”
Daniel laughed once.
“Of course.”
Lucas entered.
“We found the ownership chain for Northstar.”
Daniel turned.
“And?”
“Northstar belongs to an LLC in Delaware. That LLC belongs to another entity in the Cayman Islands.”
“Howard?”
“Not directly.”
“Who?”
Lucas looked toward Margaret.
“The controlling beneficiary is Vanessa Cole.”
Silence.
Margaret sat down.
Daniel felt something inside him go cold.
“Bring her in.”
“She’s gone.”
“What?”
“Her apartment was cleared this morning.”
Daniel turned toward Michael.
His brother swore quietly.
Lucas continued.
“We found one more thing. A flight reservation under Vanessa’s passport.”
“To where?”
“Portland.”
Daniel’s face drained.
“When?”
“Two hours ago.”
Amy.
Daniel grabbed his coat.
Michael blocked him.
“You can’t go charging into Oregon.”
“She’s going after Amy.”
“We don’t know that.”
Daniel shoved past him.
“I do.”
In Oregon, Amy was leaving Dr. Pierce’s office when she saw Vanessa.
For one second, neither woman moved.
Vanessa stood beside a black rental car wearing jeans, sunglasses, and a beige coat.
No ballroom gown.
No perfect smile.
Just exhaustion.
Amy’s hand moved to her stomach.
Vanessa raised both hands.
“I’m not here to hurt you.”
Amy stepped backward.
“Then stay away from me.”
“I need five minutes.”
“No.”
“Amy, please.”
“Did you leak my location?”
Vanessa stopped.
Amy had her answer.
“You did.”
“I didn’t know reporters would crowd the bookstore.”
“You sent them.”
“I sent one photographer.”
Amy laughed in disbelief.
“As if that makes it better.”
“I needed Daniel distracted.”
“By terrorizing his pregnant wife?”
Vanessa looked ashamed.
“Yes.”
Amy turned away.
Vanessa spoke quickly.
“Howard Pike killed Daniel’s father.”
Amy stopped.
Vanessa walked closer.
“I helped him move money. I didn’t know about Charles until later.”
Amy slowly turned.
“Why should I believe anything you say?”
“You shouldn’t.”
Vanessa removed a USB drive.
“But you should believe documents.”
Amy did not take it.
Vanessa continued.
“Howard has been stealing from the foundation for years. Northstar was one of the channels.”
“And you benefited.”
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“Enough to go to prison.”
Amy stared.
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
“I thought I could control him.”
“Howard?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because my father owed Charles Harrison millions.”
Amy frowned.
Vanessa swallowed.
“When Charles discovered the theft, he threatened to expose everyone. Howard arranged his death. My father helped cover it.”
“Your father?”
“He died two years later.”
Amy’s skin prickled.
“And you continued working for the Harrisons?”
“I had no choice.”
“There is always a choice.”
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
“That’s easy to say when you’ve never had a man threaten to put your father’s crimes on every front page in America.”
Amy looked at her.
“You kissed my husband.”
Vanessa flinched.
“Yes.”
“No one forced that.”
“No.”
“You wanted him.”
“Yes.”
“You wanted my marriage.”
Vanessa looked away.
“I wanted what you had.”
Amy’s voice turned cold.
“You wanted what you imagined I had.”
Vanessa met her eyes.
That landed.
Amy continued.
“You saw money. Houses. Galas. Daniel’s name. You didn’t see me eating dinner alone.”
Vanessa said nothing.
“You didn’t see birthdays postponed for meetings.”
Silence.
“You didn’t see me begging my husband to spend a Sunday with me.”
Amy stepped closer.
“You didn’t want my marriage. You wanted the photograph of it.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
Amy did not care.
“Why did Howard care about my pregnancy?”
Vanessa’s face changed.
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
“I know he ordered surveillance intensified after your fertility appointment.”
Amy’s stomach tightened.
“Why?”
“I asked once.”
“What did he say?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“He said, ‘A Harrison heir changes everything.’”
Amy’s blood ran cold.
A car pulled into the parking lot.
Vanessa turned sharply.
Daniel got out.
Amy froze.
Daniel saw her.
For one second, everything else disappeared from his face.
Relief.
Pain.
Love.
Then he saw Vanessa.
His expression changed.
Michael stepped from the passenger side.
Amy backed away.
“I told you not to come.”
Daniel stopped immediately.
“I know.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Vanessa flew to Portland.”
Amy looked at Vanessa.
“She found me first.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Vanessa held up the USB.
“I came to give her this.”
Michael approached cautiously.
“What’s on it?”
“Everything Howard kept off the foundation servers.”
Daniel stared at her.
“How do you have it?”
“Because I was helping him.”
Margaret’s absence did not escape Amy.
“Where’s your mother?”
Daniel looked at her.
“New York. With federal investigators.”
Amy’s eyes widened.
“You contacted authorities?”
“Yes.”
“You’re willing to expose your father?”
“If he was murdered, yes.”
“The foundation?”
“Yes.”
“Your company?”
“If necessary.”
Vanessa laughed softly.
Daniel turned toward her.
“What?”
“You finally learned.”
“Learned what?”
“What Amy understood before any of us.”
Vanessa looked toward Amy.
“That the Harrison name is not worth saving if everyone under it has to be destroyed.”
Daniel’s face hardened.
“You don’t get to use her wisdom to make yourself look redeemed.”
Vanessa nodded.
“You’re right.”
Then a cracking sound exploded across the parking lot.
Michael shouted.
“Down!”
Daniel lunged toward Amy.
The rear window of Vanessa’s rental car shattered.
Amy screamed.
A second crack.
Vanessa fell.
Blood spread across her shoulder.
Daniel covered Amy with his body.
Michael pulled them behind a concrete divider.
“Shooter!”
People screamed.
Dr. Pierce’s office locked its doors.
Daniel looked down at Amy.
“Are you hit?”
“No.”
“The baby?”
“I’m okay.”
He did not touch her stomach.
He did not assume permission.
Another shot struck the pavement.
Michael drew a handgun from beneath his coat.
Amy stared.
“You brought a gun?”
“My family is complicated.”
“Understatement.”
Sirens sounded in the distance.
Vanessa lay several yards away.
Not moving.
Amy looked at her.
“She’ll bleed out.”
Daniel grabbed Amy’s arm.
“No.”
“She needs help.”
“Amy—”
“I’m not letting her die.”
“She betrayed you.”
“She’s still a human being.”
Before Daniel could stop her, Amy crawled toward Vanessa behind the line of parked cars.
Daniel swore and followed.
They reached her.
Vanessa’s eyes fluttered.
Amy pressed her coat against the wound.
Vanessa looked at her, confused.
“Why?”
Amy pushed harder.
“Because I refuse to become like the people who hurt me.”
Vanessa began crying.
Sirens grew louder.
Then she whispered something.
Amy leaned closer.
“What?”
“Howard…”
“What about him?”
Vanessa coughed.
“He knows about the baby.”
Amy’s blood went cold.
“I know.”
“No.”
Vanessa grabbed Amy’s wrist.
“You don’t understand.”
Daniel leaned closer.
Vanessa looked directly at him.
“Your father changed his will before he died.”
Daniel frowned.
“What?”
“If Daniel has a biological child…”
Vanessa struggled to breathe.
“What happens?” Amy demanded.
Vanessa’s fingers tightened.
“The trust changes.”
“To who?”
May you like
Vanessa looked at Amy’s stomach.
“To her.”
