Chapter 8 - The White Dress and the Hidden Phone
Celeste was no longer on the yacht.
Her heels were found beside the upper lounge.
Her phone was not.
Captain Hale locked down the marina perimeter while a medic treated Evan. Richard paced the salon, furious at everyone except the daughter who had vanished.
"She's scared," he said. "That's all."
"Scared people don't disable cameras," I replied.
"You still don't know she did."
"Then help me prove she didn't."
He stared at me.
"You sound like your father."
The words hit like a slap.
"You knew him better than you admit."
Richard looked toward the dark water.
"Daniel was brilliant. He was also impossible."
"Did you destroy him?"
His face hardened.
"No."
"Did you help?"
He did not answer.
That was answer enough.
A security officer entered carrying a small gold clutch.
"Found this behind a lounge sofa. Belongs to Ms. Whitmore."
Inside were lipstick, a key card, cash, and a second phone.
Not her public phone.
A cheap prepaid device.
There were only seven recent messages.
All to one number.
I opened the thread.
C: SHE'S HERE.
M: GET THE RECORDER BEFORE HALE SHOWS HER.
C: EVAN IS TALKING TO HER.
M: THEN DEAL WITH EVAN.
My stomach turned.
Richard grabbed the phone from my hand.
"M could be anyone."
I took it back.
"Mason."
The final message had arrived six minutes earlier.
M: PIER 9. COME ALONE. BRING THE KEY.
I reached instinctively for my pocket.
The brass key from my father's case was still there.
Celeste did not have it.
Whoever was waiting at Pier 9 thought she did.
"I'm going," I said.
Captain Hale stepped in front of me. "No."
"If Mason has the recorder, I'm going."
Evan, pale but standing now, spoke from behind us.
"Then I'm coming with you."
Richard shouted, "Neither of you is going anywhere."
I looked at him.
"You lost the right to give orders when you helped bury my father."
Then the prepaid phone rang.
Unknown number.
May you like
I answered.
A man's voice said, "Bring the key, Ava. Or Celeste goes into the water."
