Chapter 10: The Woman in Natalie’s Coat
I called Natalie back.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
“Claire, stay on the cameras.””
“I’m here.””
“Security?””
“Four minutes away.””
I opened the live feed she had sent me.
The image was grainy, but the woman was unmistakably wearing Natalie’s tan coat—the same one I had seen her carrying at the lake house.
Beside her walked a man in a dark baseball cap.
He was pushing one of our warehouse carts toward the administrative corridor.
“What are they doing?””
Claire switched cameras.
“They’re heading toward records storage.””
My stomach dropped.
We kept archived contracts, vendor files, and backup drives there.
“Can they get inside?””
“Not without an access badge.””
The man stopped at the door.
The woman reached into her pocket.
She pulled something out.
The door opened.
“Apparently they have one,” I said.
Claire cursed.
“Whose badge?””
“I’m checking.””
Seconds later she inhaled sharply.
“It’s yours.””
I stared at the screen.
“My badge is in my purse.””
I checked anyway.
There it was.
“Cloned?””
“Maybe.””
On camera, the pair entered records storage.
Then the hallway went empty.
“Claire, can you lock that room remotely?””
“No. Fire code.””
“Can you disable the badge?””
“Already done.””
My other phone rang.
Natalie.
I answered.
“Where are you?””
“I told you.””
“Prove it.””
“What?””
“Video call me.””
“Maddie—”
“Now.””
She switched to video.
Natalie appeared in a dim hotel room.
Behind her, I saw Barbara pacing.
Harold sat on a bed with his head in his hands.
Natalie really was there.
“See?”” she said.
“Where’s your tan coat?””
Her face changed.
“What?””
“The coat you wore tonight.””
“I left it at the lake house.””
“Who has it?””
“I don't know.””
Barbara moved into view.
“What is this nonsense?””
“Someone wearing Natalie’s coat is inside my warehouse.””
Harold lifted his head.
Barbara froze.
Only for a second.
But I saw it.
“Barbara,” I said, “who has the coat?””
“How would I know?””
“You know something.””
“I don't.””
Harold stood.
“Barbara.””
She turned toward him.
“What?””
“What did you do?””
“Nothing.””
His voice sharpened.
“Barbara.””
She stared at him.
Then Natalie whispered, “Mom?””
Barbara grabbed the phone.
“This is your fault, Madison.””
My entire body went cold.
“Who is in my warehouse?””
“You had to make everything difficult.””
“Who?””
“You could have signed the loan.””
“So you sent someone into my business?””
“I didn't send anyone anywhere.””
Behind her, Harold said, “Call him.””
Barbara ignored him.
Harold stepped closer.
“Call Bradley.””
My pulse jumped.
“Why Bradley?””
Harold looked directly into the camera.
“Because he took Natalie’s coat.””
The feed disconnected.
I called Claire.
“Check every exterior camera.””
“I’m doing it.””
A security alert flashed across my screen.
Motion near loading dock three.
Claire gasped.
“They’re moving.””
The camera showed the man and woman exiting records storage.
The man carried a plastic archive box.
The woman carried two laptop bags.
“Can you zoom in?””
Claire did.
The man turned slightly.
Bradley.
My husband.
Of course.
But the woman—
She looked toward the camera.
I knew her.
“Vanessa.””
My voice came out as a whisper.
Claire said, “You know her?””
“She was in my hotel room less than an hour ago.””
My stomach twisted.
The flash drive.
The confession.
The warning.
Had all of it been staged?
“Security just arrived,” Claire said.
On camera, Bradley and Vanessa suddenly ran.
They abandoned the cart.
Bradley kept the archive box.
Vanessa held one laptop bag.
They disappeared through the loading area.
Thirty seconds later, security entered from the opposite side.
Too late.
“Call the police,” I said.
Claire hesitated.
“Maddie, are you sure?””
“Yes.””
I had spent years protecting Bradley from consequences.
That ended tonight.
While Claire made the call, I examined the footage again.
Vanessa had fooled me completely.
Or maybe she hadn't.
Why give me the flash drive if she was helping Bradley?
Why expose the forged loan?
Something didn't fit.
My phone buzzed.
A message from Vanessa.
*I'm sorry. I had no choice.*
Then another.
*He has my brother.*
I stared at the words.
A third message appeared.
*Don't believe anything Bradley tells you about tonight.*
Then:
*Check what was inside the archive box.*
I called Claire.
“What section did they take the box from?””
She checked the camera.
“Old personnel records.””
“Which years?””
“Looks like 2018 to 2020.””
My heart slowed.
Bradley and I had been married during those years.
“What was he looking for?””
Claire went silent.
Then she said, “Maddie, there’s one employee file from that period Bradley asked me about six months ago.””
“Whose?””
“A former bookkeeper.””
I remembered her.
Quiet.
Brilliant.
Gone without much explanation.
“What was her name?””
Claire answered.
“Rebecca Shaw.””
And suddenly I remembered something else.
May you like
Rebecca hadn't resigned.
Bradley had told me she did.
