Chương 5
He did not.
He sat on the front step in his navy blazer and gray trousers.
His suitcase remained inside.
The crushed gift remained on the floor.
After a minute Rebecca came out.
She stood beside the stone column.
Daniel did not look at her.
“What was the third voicemail?”
Rebecca folded her arms.
“I told you she was gone.”
His jaw worked.
“What time?”
“Eight fifty-three.”
“London?”
“Connecticut.”
He calculated automatically.
One fifty-three in the morning in London.
He had been awake.
He had been in bed with Vanessa.
He closed his eyes.
Rebecca sat on the opposite end of the step.
For a while neither spoke.
A car passed on the road below the property.
Daniel said, “Did she ask for me?”
Rebecca’s expression changed.
He saw the answer before she spoke.
“Yes.”
His shoulders folded.
“What did you say?”
“I said you were coming.”
He pressed his palms together between his knees.
Rebecca looked toward the driveway.
“I said your plane was delayed.”
Daniel stared at the ground.
“I lied to her.”
“No.”
“I made you lie.”
“I chose what to tell her.”
“What did she say?”
Rebecca’s throat moved.
“She said you hate being late.”
A sound escaped Daniel’s mouth that might have been a laugh in another life.
Rebecca’s eyes filled.
“She was worried you’d be mad at yourself.”
Daniel looked up sharply.
“That sounds like her.”
“Yes.”
He covered his face.
This time Rebecca did not move away when his shoulder touched hers.
She did not comfort him either.
They sat against the same step because there was nowhere else to go.
Eventually Daniel said, “Why didn’t someone else reach me?”
“They tried.”
“My mother?”
“Yes.”
“Claire?”
“She called Vanessa.”
He lowered his hands.
“What?”
“Your assistant called Vanessa because your personal phone went straight to voicemail.”
Daniel stood.
Rebecca stayed seated.
He went back inside.
Vanessa’s attorney had arrived. Daniel recognized him, Alan Reese, a white-haired litigation partner whose firm had represented Mercer Rowan in two regulatory matters. Reese was speaking quietly with Hale near the study.
Daniel did not care.
He walked directly to Vanessa.
“Claire called you.”
Vanessa looked toward Reese.
“Daniel, don’t question her,” Reese said.
Daniel ignored him.
“Claire called you Thursday.”
Vanessa’s face tightened.
Reese stepped forward.
“My client will answer law-enforcement questions through the appropriate process.”
Daniel turned on him.
“Your client worked for me.”
“She still does unless I’m missing information.”
“You’re missing quite a lot.”
Reese paused.
Daniel looked at Vanessa.
“Did Claire tell you Ava was dead?”
Vanessa whispered, “Yes.”
“When?”
“Thursday night.”
“What did you tell her?”
“That you already knew.”
Daniel stared.
Vanessa’s eyes lowered.
“I told her you needed privacy.”
Rebecca came inside behind him.
Daniel said, “And then you messaged me as Ava.”
Vanessa looked at Reese.
Reese’s expression told her to stop speaking.
Daniel laughed once.
It sounded wrong.
“You sat beside me at breakfast Friday.”
Vanessa’s chin trembled.
“Yes.”
“You asked if I wanted eggs.”
“I know.”
“I complained the coffee was cold.”
“I know.”
“My daughter had been dead for eleven hours.”
Vanessa pressed her lips together.
Daniel took another step toward her.
“You watched me complain about coffee.”
Reese put a hand out.
“Daniel.”
“Don’t use my first name.”
“Fine. Mr. Mercer. My client is not going to answer more questions until we understand what police are alleging.”
Hale said, “That’s sensible.”
Daniel looked at the detective.
“I want them out.”
Hale nodded toward the officers.
“We can leave, but the search warrant process continues. We would also like to interview you formally later today.”
Daniel pointed at Vanessa.
“I mean her.”
Reese’s voice hardened.
“You can terminate employment. You cannot interfere with an investigation or forcibly remove—”
“I own the house.”
Rebecca spoke from behind them.
“We own the house.”
Daniel turned.
She was looking at Vanessa.
“And I want her out too.”
Hale considered this.
“Ms. Cole can leave with counsel. Her devices need to remain secured if covered by the warrant once it’s signed. I would advise against destroying or altering anything.”
Reese bristled.
“My client understands.”
Vanessa looked at Daniel.
He expected apology.
Denial.
Maybe some final attempt to make herself understood.
Instead she said, “You were going to leave Rebecca after the deal.”
Rebecca’s eyes closed.
Daniel’s face went hot.
Vanessa continued.
“You told me that.”
Reese said sharply, “Vanessa.”
But she was looking only at Daniel now.
“You said once the acquisition closed, you would tell her. You said Ava would adjust. You said children survive divorce every day.”
Daniel felt Rebecca behind him without looking.
Vanessa’s voice became steadier as she spoke, almost as if confession offered a path back to familiar ground.
“I thought if you left the negotiations, the board would replace you. The financing could have collapsed. Everything you said we were building would disappear.”
“We?”
“Yes.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“My daughter was dying.”
“I didn’t know she would die.”
“But after she did?”
Vanessa had no answer ready.
He waited.
After several seconds she said, “After she did, I knew what I had done.”
Rebecca spoke.
“No. After she died, you decided what else you were willing to do.”
Vanessa turned toward her.
Rebecca’s face had become very calm.
“You sent messages.”
Vanessa looked away.
“You blocked my number on his phone.”
Silence.
“You told Claire he was sedated because of a migraine.”
Daniel’s head turned.
Vanessa flinched.
Rebecca continued.
“You had his security team tell his mother not to fly over because he was returning Saturday.”
Daniel stared at Vanessa.
“How do you know that?”
“Hale showed me.”
Daniel looked toward the detective.
Hale nodded once.
“We have statements.”
Vanessa said, “I was buying time.”
“For what?” Rebecca asked.
Vanessa looked at her.
“I don’t know.”
Rebecca walked closer.
“Yes, you do.”
Vanessa’s face tightened again.
“You wanted the deal to close,” Rebecca said. “You wanted Daniel to remain the man you thought you were getting. Successful. Untouched. Still choosing you.”
May you like
“Rebecca—”
“You wanted his life not to change until it changed in the way you planned.”
