Chapter 8: The Woman Who Knew Vanessa Before Us
Dad put Patricia on speakerphone.
"Are you saying Vanessa was involved in unauthorized access to customer records?"" he asked.
"I'm saying the company discovered a problem shortly before she resigned," Patricia replied.
"I can't tell you who was responsible. I wasn't part of the investigation, and I don't have access to the complete records.""
"Then why are you calling me?""
"Because Vanessa called me yesterday and asked whether the old investigation had been reopened.""
Dad exchanged a glance with Mr. Bennett.
"What did you tell her?""
"Nothing. I don't work there anymore. But she sounded frightened, and she asked whether anyone could still access the archived records.""
I leaned toward the phone.
"Did you know my mother, Sarah Carter?""
Patricia was silent for a moment.
"Sarah Carter?""
"Yes.""
"I remember that name from a customer complaint. I don't know her personally, but I remember Vanessa mentioning it.""
My heart thudded against my ribs.
"What did she say?""
"She said a customer had accused her of accessing private information, but the complaint had been resolved.""
Mr. Bennett raised one finger, signaling that he wanted to speak.
"Ms. Patricia, do you have any documents supporting that recollection?""
"No. But I may be able to direct you to the department that handled the investigation. If the records still exist, they should be able to confirm what happened.""
"Please send that information to my office," he said.
"We will pursue it through the appropriate channels.""
After they exchanged contact details, Patricia ended the call.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Then Brittany whispered, "Mom told me she left that job because the company was downsizing.""
Dad closed his eyes.
"She told me the same thing.""
I looked down at the three bank transfers.
For four years, Vanessa had lived in our house, attended family dinners, and called herself my second mother. She had helped organize Mom's belongings after the funeral. She had stood beside Dad at the cemetery while I cried into his shoulder.
Had she known about the money then?
Had she been searching through Mom's documents while I was upstairs grieving?
I felt sick.
Mr. Bennett gathered the papers into a protective folder.
"We need to avoid drawing conclusions before we have evidence. But I recommend reporting the suspected financial misconduct and preserving these documents in their original condition.""
Dad nodded.
"I'll do that today.""
As we left the office, Brittany followed me into the hallway.
"Emily, can I ask you something?""
I stopped.
"What?""
"Do you think Mom knew about the money before she married your dad?""
I looked at her.
"I don't know.""
"She used to talk about how lucky she was to meet him. She said he was stable, dependable, and owned his house outright.""
Dad had bought the house with Mom years before she became ill. The mortgage had been paid off after her life insurance settlement.
Brittany swallowed.
"Once, when I asked why she wanted to marry him so quickly, she said she had finally found someone who could give us security.""
I stared at her.
"How quickly?""
"Less than a year after they met.""
I remembered the wedding. Vanessa had worn an ivory dress, and Dad had looked happier than I'd seen him since Mom's funeral. I had stood beside them, smiling for photographs while trying not to feel as though I were betraying my mother's memory.
At the time, I had blamed myself for being jealous.
Now I wondered whether my instincts had noticed something my mind couldn't explain.
"Did she ever talk about Mom's money?"" I asked.
Brittany hesitated.
"She said your mother had been fortunate. She said she had a good insurance policy and that the house was paid off.""
I felt a chill crawl up my arms.
"How would she know that?""
"I don't know.""
We reached the parking lot.
Dad was waiting beside the car, talking to someone on his phone. His face was tight with concentration.
When he saw us, he ended the call.
"The police have agreed to take a report about the suspected forgery and unauthorized sale," he said.
"Mr. Bennett is helping organize the documents.""
He opened the car door, then stopped.
"There's something else I need to tell you.""
Brittany and I exchanged a glance.
Dad took a folded sheet of paper from his pocket.
"This came from Vanessa's desk at home. I found it while looking for the insurance documents.""
He handed it to me.
It was a printed email dated three months before Vanessa and Dad married.
The subject line read: *Re: Sarah Carter Account Review*.
The sender was Daniel Reeves.
The recipient was Vanessa Miller.
I read the message twice.
The account is still active, but access remains restricted. I cannot move the remaining funds without the required authorization. If Sarah becomes unavailable, we will need to revisit the legal arrangement.
My hands began to shake.
Below the email was a reply from Vanessa.
Understood. I will wait. Once the situation changes, we can discuss the next step.
There was no explicit admission of wrongdoing. No clear explanation of what the account contained or why Vanessa had been involved.
But the timing was undeniable.
She had been corresponding with Daniel about my mother's account before she married my father.
Dad took the paper back.
"I found another email printed behind it.""
He unfolded a second sheet.
This one was dated two weeks after Mom's funeral.
The message was shorter.
Michael has access to the house, but Emily has the vehicle title. I need to know whether the original documents are still inside the Camry.
I felt my knees weaken.
Brittany whispered, "She was looking for the papers.""
Dad's voice was rough.
"Yes.""
For four years, Vanessa had told us the Camry was old, unreliable, and worth almost nothing. She had complained whenever I drove it, saying it embarrassed her to see me behind the wheel of such a dated vehicle.
I had assumed she simply disliked the car.
Now I understood that she might have been waiting for an opportunity to get inside it.
Dad opened the driver's door.
"We're going home. I want to know exactly what else she left behind.""
But before either of us could get into the car, his phone rang again.
This time, the caller was Vanessa.
He answered.
"Where are you?"" she demanded.
"Why?""
"Because Daniel just called me. He says someone has contacted him about the account.""
Dad went completely still.
"How does Daniel know anyone has contacted him?""
Vanessa didn't answer.
Then she said, "Michael, listen to me carefully. Whatever Emily has found, it doesn't mean what you think it means.""
Dad looked at me.
"Then explain it.""
Her voice trembled.
"I can't explain it over the phone.""
"Try.""
She drew a sharp breath.
"Because if I tell you what happened to Sarah's money, you'll understand why I had to sell the car.""
The call disconnected.
Dad stood motionless, the phone pressed against his ear.
Brittany stared at him.
I could barely breathe.
Vanessa had finally admitted there was a connection between the car and my mother's money.
May you like
But she still hadn't explained why selling the Camry had been necessary.
And I was beginning to suspect that the answer involved something far more dangerous than a forged signature.
