Chapter 13 - VANESSA FINALLY CHOOSES
Vanessa disappeared the day Patricia was brought in for questioning.
Her phone went off.
Her attorney could not reach her.
Police found her car near Alum Creek.
For two hours, I thought my sister was dead.
Then she called me.
“I’m at Mom’s house.”
I drove there with Marissa.
Vanessa sat on the kitchen floor beside unopened moving boxes.
Our mother’s house still smelled faintly like her.
Vanessa looked terrible.
“I found Derek’s safe.”
“What safe?”
“He installed it after we got engaged.”
“In Mom’s house?”
“He said we needed somewhere private for wedding gifts.”
She pointed toward the pantry.
Behind a removable panel was a small steel box.
Vanessa knew the code.
Their wedding date.
Inside were cash, contracts, and a flash drive.
There was also a handwritten agreement between Derek and Patricia.
Upon successful shareholder consolidation, Derek Walsh receives $2,000,000.
No mention of a wedding.
No mention of me.
But enough to connect them.
Then Vanessa handed Marissa the flash drive.
“I copied this from Derek’s laptop three weeks ago.”
“Why?”
“I thought he was cheating.”
That almost made me laugh.
Instead, the drive contained audio recordings.
Derek had secretly recorded Patricia during meetings.
Insurance.
Leverage.
Blackmail.
In one recording, Patricia said,
“Claire will never sign willingly.”
Derek answered,
“Then she won’t be in a condition to object.”
Patricia said,
“Do not do anything irreversible.”
Derek laughed.
“That depends on Claire.”
Vanessa covered her face.
“I heard that after the wedding.”
“Why didn’t you go to police?”
I asked.
“Because I was scared.”
“Of Derek?”
“Of losing everything.”
I stared at her.
“Our mother was right.”
“What?”
“You let him convince you the money mattered more than me.”
She cried.
“Yes.”
It was the first time she said it without an excuse.
Marissa collected the evidence.
Before leaving, Vanessa grabbed my hand.
“I’ll testify.”
I pulled away.
“Do it because it’s true.”
“Not because you think it buys forgiveness.”
She nodded.
“I know.”
That night, Vanessa gave prosecutors a complete statement.
She admitted helping refill the cannon.
She admitted repositioning me.
She admitted deleting the photograph after I was hurt.
She admitted knowing Derek wanted to scare me into surrendering control.
But she denied knowing about permanent injury.
The next morning, Derek received Vanessa’s cooperation agreement.
Three hours later, he requested a meeting with prosecutors.
He had something to trade.
May you like
Something about Patricia.
And something about the night our mother changed her will.
