Chapter 19 - The Bride Becomes the Bait
Daniel’s answer was immediate.
“No.”
Vanessa looked at him. “They want the gown.”
“Which is why you’re not going anywhere near them.”
“They’re already running.”
“Let the police handle it.”
Vanessa stepped closer. “Brooke stood beside me all day. She fixed my veil. She carried my bouquet. She knew exactly what was hidden in this dress, and she still waited until after the ceremony. Why?”
Daniel said nothing.
“Because she needed me to wear it into this building. She needed every camera focused on me while her father came for the records.”
Renee nodded slowly. “The wedding was cover.”
Vanessa looked at Helen. “Did Martin know the embroidery encoded account numbers?”
“He knew Emily hid something in the design. He never knew how to read it.”
Celeste arrived on the roof with security. “I can.”
Everyone turned.
“My father taught Emily a counting system based on stitch groups,” she said. “If the dress was made from the exact sketch, I can decode it.”
Vanessa took a breath. “Then we don’t need to give them the dress. We need to make them think we will.”
Daniel stared at her. “Absolutely not.”
She touched his face.
“You investigated my mother because you were afraid the truth would hurt me. Look where secrets got us.”
His anger faded into fear.
“I just married you.”
“Then stand beside me.”
Twenty minutes later, Daniel sent a message from Vanessa’s phone to Brooke.
I HAVE THE DRESS. PARKING LEVEL TWO. COME ALONE OR I BURN IT.
Police units waited below with lights off.
Vanessa stood behind a concrete wall in a plain white robe borrowed from the bridal suite. The gown hung on a mannequin in the open garage lane.
Celeste had already copied the stitch map.
A black SUV rolled into the garage.
It stopped beside the dress.
Brooke got out.
Alone.
She walked toward the mannequin and whispered, “I’m sorry, Van.”
Vanessa stepped from cover.
“No, you’re not.”
Brooke’s face crumpled.
May you like
Then a red laser dot appeared on Vanessa’s chest.
From somewhere above them, Martin Hale said, “Move away from the dress.”
