Chapter 4 - The Woman in Green
I met Vanessa in the parking lot outside a grocery store, beside a row of shopping carts rattling in the wind. She arrived wearing the dark green sweater she'd later wear on Christmas Eve.
"You shouldn't have called me," she said.
"You witnessed a document with a forged signature."
"I witnessed what Daniel put in front of me."
"Your notary commission had expired."
Her eyes flicked to my phone. "Are you recording?"
"No. Should I be?"
Vanessa folded her arms, but her hands were shaking. "Margaret owns half the company. She thinks that means she owns everyone who works there."
"It doesn't."
"Tell that to Daniel."
I gave her a chance to help. "Who made the memory card?"
Vanessa looked toward the street. "Elaine. She copied everything before they fired her."
"Where is she?"
"Hiding from someone who threatened to blame her for the transfers."
"Who?"
Vanessa's mouth tightened. "I won't say it out here."
A horn blared as a truck swung into the lot. She flinched so violently that I understood she wasn't acting. Before I could speak, she reached into her bag and pushed a small envelope into my hand.
"Do not give that to my mother," she said. "And do not let Sophie hear what's on the last recording."
"Why?"
Vanessa's eyes filled. "Because I was there when she said it."
Inside the envelope was a key and a storage-unit number, written on the back of an old movie ticket. The ticket was dated the night Daniel claimed he'd been meeting investors in Chicago.
I looked up to ask her about it, but Vanessa was already walking away.
"Did you know about the custody plan?" I called.
She stopped beside her car.
May you like
"I knew there was a plan," she said without turning. "I didn't know they were going to use Sophie."
Then she got in and drove off, leaving me with a key that felt much heavier than it should.
