Chapter 8: The Investigator Who Disappeared
I read the message four times before showing it to Rachel.
She stood beside the guest-room door, still wearing her reading glasses, and took my phone from my hand.
Her expression changed as she read.
“Don't respond,” she said.
“Who sent it?””
“I don't know.””
“Then how do they know about Vanessa?””
Rachel looked at the number again.
“Someone knows more than we've discovered.””
She immediately called Dad.
Within minutes, he was on speakerphone with Daniel, who instructed us to save the message and avoid contacting the sender. He also asked Rachel to preserve the original phone and screenshot the message details.
“Could this be Vanessa?”” I asked.
“It's possible,” Daniel replied.
“It's also possible someone connected to her past is trying to get information to us. We won't know until we verify the source.””
Dad's voice was tense.
“I'm coming to Rachel's house.””
“Don't confront anyone,” Daniel warned.
“We need to keep this investigation controlled.””
When Dad arrived forty minutes later, he looked as though he'd aged ten years in a single day.
He hugged me first, then sat at Rachel's kitchen table while she brought down the old locked box from the attic.
The box was smaller than I'd imagined, made of dark wood with brass corners. Rachel placed it between us and produced a key from her purse.
“I've kept this locked since your mother's funeral,” she said.
Inside were folders, a sealed envelope, a photograph, and a small notebook bound with a black elastic band.
Dad reached for the photograph.
A woman stood outside Mom's accounting office, holding a folder against her chest. She had short dark hair and wore a gray coat.
On the back, Mom had written the same warning Rachel remembered.
Never let her near Emily's inheritance.
Beneath it was a name.
Laura Bennett.
I leaned closer.
“That's Vanessa.””
Dad stared at the photograph.
“She was younger,” he murmured.
“But it's definitely her.””
Rachel handed him the folder.
“There's more.””
The first document was a bank transfer record. It showed money moving from one of Mom's business accounts to an unfamiliar company.
The amount was $84,000.
A second document showed a matching transfer into another account two days later.
Dad frowned.
“Why would your mother have kept these?””
“Because she thought someone was stealing from her,” Rachel answered.
He turned another page.
A handwritten note appeared in the margin.
Laura says the transfers were authorized. The signatures don't match. Call the investigator.
Below that was a telephone number and the name of a private investigator named Thomas Reed.
Dad pulled out his phone.
“Daniel needs to see this.””
While he photographed the documents, I opened the notebook.
Most pages contained dates, amounts, and brief notes about business transactions. Near the back, however, Mom had written a list of names.
Some were unfamiliar.
One was not.
Michael Carter.
My father's name appeared beside a date from the year before Mom died.
I stared at it.
“Dad?””
He leaned over my shoulder.
His face tightened.
“What is that?””
“I don't know.””
The entry read:
Michael must not sign anything Laura brings him. She knows about the trust.
Dad sat back slowly.
“Your mother was warning me about Vanessa before I even knew she existed.””
Rachel's hand flew to her mouth.
I turned the page.
A second entry appeared, written in darker ink.
If anything happens to me, Rachel must protect Emily. The original letter is in the blue file. Do not let Laura find it.
I looked at my aunt.
“What's the blue file?””
Rachel shook her head.
“I don't remember seeing one.””
Dad immediately called Daniel.
They searched the documents in the box, but no blue file appeared.
Then Dad noticed the sealed envelope addressed to Vanessa.
The date was visible in the corner: October 14, 2021.
“That's the envelope we found in her car,” he said.
“Daniel has the original. This must be a copy of the inventory.””
Rachel examined the notebook again.
“Thomas Reed,” she murmured.
“I remember that name.””
“You knew the investigator?”” I asked.
“Not personally. Your mother told me he was helping her gather evidence. But after she died, I called his office several times and never got a response.””
Dad's phone rang.
Daniel was calling back.
“We've located Thomas Reed's old business address,” he said.
“His office closed about four years ago. The licensing board has a record of the original complaint, but some of the supporting files are missing.””
“Can you contact him?”” Dad asked.
“We're trying. His last known address is in Savannah.””
Rachel glanced at me.
“That's not far from here.””
Dad shook his head.
“I'm not taking Emily anywhere until we know what's going on.””
I looked down at the notebook.
“Maybe Thomas knows what happened to Mom's letter.””
Daniel heard me.
“That's possible. But we're not going to chase a lead based on an anonymous message. I'll verify the investigator's identity first.””
He ended the call after promising to update us.
For a while, we sat in silence.
Then Rachel picked up the photograph again.
“Your mother was afraid of something,” she said.
“But she was also preparing for it.””
I touched the edge of the notebook.
“She knew Vanessa might come after me.””
Dad's eyes filled with regret.
“And I brought Vanessa into our home.””
“You didn't know,” I said.
“But I should have listened when your mother said she was worried.””
I wanted to comfort him, but I was struggling to comfort myself.
Five years of memories suddenly felt uncertain. Had Vanessa chosen her words carefully every time she spoke about Mom? Had she watched me grow up while waiting for something that belonged to me?
Then I remembered Brittany's comment about the papers.
Mom says everything will finally belong to us.
“Dad,” I said, “does Brittany know what Vanessa is doing?””
He rubbed his face.
“I don't know. She may have been told a version of the story that makes her think this is all legitimate.””
“She's old enough to know what she did to me.””
“Yes,” he said quietly.
“She is.””
That evening, Dad stayed for dinner. Rachel made chicken and rice, but nobody ate much.
At nine, Daniel called with an update.
He had confirmed that Thomas Reed had once been licensed as a private investigator. He had also located a current address associated with Reed's name.
There was one complication.
Thomas had reported a break-in at his office shortly after Mom's death. Several files connected to a financial investigation had disappeared.
The police report named no suspect.
But the date was chilling.
Three days after Mom died.
Dad stood at the kitchen counter, listening.
“Has anyone spoken to him?”” he asked.
“Not yet. I'm arranging contact through his attorney.””
After the call, Dad looked at me.
“We'll get answers.””
I nodded, though I wasn't sure I believed the world could ever make sense again.
Then Rachel's landline rang.
She frowned at the caller ID.
“Unknown.””
Dad gestured for her to let it go to voicemail.
But the phone rang again immediately.
Rachel answered without speaking.
A man's voice came through, rough and tired.
“Is this Rachel Bennett?””
“Yes. Who is this?””
“My name is Thomas Reed.””
Dad grabbed a pen.
Rachel put the call on speaker.
Thomas continued.
“I heard Michael Carter is asking questions about Laura Bennett.””
Dad stepped closer.
“I'm Michael Carter. What do you know about my wife?””
Thomas was silent for several seconds.
Then he said, “Your wife hired me to investigate Laura Bennett. I was supposed to meet her the morning after she died.””
My stomach dropped.
“Why didn't you meet her?”” I asked.
Thomas seemed surprised to hear me.
Then his voice softened.
“Because, sweetheart, someone had already been inside my office.””
He took a shaky breath.
“And whoever broke in wasn't looking for money.””
“They were looking for one specific thing.””
Dad gripped the edge of the table.
“What?””
May you like
Thomas answered with five words.
*“The original letter from your mother.””*
