Chapter 12: The Second Plan
“Don't let her leave.””
The words came out before I could stop them.
Eric answered carefully.
“I'm not physically stopping anyone.””
He was right.
“Then contact the authorities.””
“I already did.””
I exhaled.
“What exactly is in the folder?””
“I haven't gone through everything.””
“Photograph the outside if you're permitted, but don't alter anything.””
“I understand.””
A door closed in the background.
Eric lowered his voice.
“I have to go.””
“Wait.””
“What?””
“Does Vanessa know you're talking to me?””
“No.””
The call ended.
Twenty minutes later, I received a call from the people handling the developing situation.
Vanessa had not left.
The suitcase and documents would be dealt with appropriately.
For the first time that day, I felt like events were moving somewhere I could no longer control.
Maybe that was good.
I had spent years assuming control meant providing money, keeping schedules, fixing broken faucets, attending school events whenever work allowed.
I'd missed the simplest responsibility.
Seeing what was happening directly in front of me.
I went upstairs.
Emily was awake.
She sat beneath the blanket with Rachel's old photograph in her hands.
“Where did you get that?””
“Aunt Dana gave it to me.””
It showed Rachel holding Emily as a baby.
Emily touched her mother's face.
“Would Mommy be mad?””
“At you?””
She nodded.
“Never.””
“At Vanessa?””
I sat beside her.
“You don't have to worry about what Mommy would think about grown-up problems.””
Emily studied the photograph.
“Vanessa said Mommy wouldn't like me anymore.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“She said Mommy was in heaven watching me be bad.””
I had to turn my face away.
Emily continued.
“She said Mommy would be embarrassed.””
I swallowed hard.
“Listen to me.””
She looked at me.
“Your mother loved you more than anything in this world.””
“How do you know?””
“Because she told me every day.””
Emily's lip trembled.
“Even when I was a baby?””
“Especially then.””
“Even when I cry?””
“Yes.””
“Even when I don't finish peas?””
I laughed through tears.
“Your mother hated peas.””
Emily smiled.
That tiny smile felt like sunrise.
Then she said, “Daddy?””
“Yes?””
“Vanessa said we were going on a trip.””
My smile disappeared.
“When?””
“She told me not to tell.””
My pulse jumped.
“When did she say that?””
“Yesterday.””
“Where were you going?””
“I don't know.””
“What exactly did she say?””
Emily thought carefully.
“She said soon I might get to live somewhere else.””
My skin went cold.
“Did she say with who?””
“A lady.””
“What lady?””
“She showed me a picture.””
“Who was in it?””
Emily shrugged.
“A lady with yellow hair.””
Nicole was brunette.
Lauren Pierce was blonde.
I pulled up Hawthorne's public business page and found Lauren's photograph.
I hated involving Emily, so I kept the question simple.
“Is this the lady you remember?””
Emily stared.
Then nodded.
“Yes.””
I called Samuel.
“Lauren may be involved more directly.””
“Why?””
I explained.
He warned me not to assume intent from one identification, but he agreed it mattered.
Then another call arrived.
Eric.
“Daniel.””
His voice was tense.
“What happened?””
“They found more documents.””
“What documents?””
“I don't have all the details, but one had Lauren's name.””
My stomach dropped.
“As guardian?””
“I don't know.””
Then I heard another voice in the background.
Eric paused.
“I have to go.””
“Eric.””
“Yes?””
“Ask Lauren directly whether she knew about a plan involving Emily.””
“I will.””
An hour passed.
Then two.
Near midnight, Eric called again.
This time Lauren was with him.
Her voice shook.
“Daniel?””
“Yes.””
“I need you to understand something.””
“Then explain.””
“Vanessa asked me months ago whether I'd temporarily care for Emily.””
My grip tightened.
“Why would she ask you?””
“She said Emily needed to be away from the house.””
“And you didn't question that?””
“I did.””
“What did she tell you?””
“That Emily was aggressive toward Caleb.””
I shut my eyes.
“She told me Emily hit him. Broke his things. Threatened him.””
None of it matched the child sleeping upstairs.
“Did you believe her?””
“At first.””
“What changed?””
“Caleb.””
I froze.
“What about him?””
“He called me.””
“When?””
“Three weeks ago.””
Caleb had somehow found Lauren's number.
“What did he say?””
Lauren began crying.
“He said, ‘Please don't take Emily.’”
I couldn't speak.
“He told me his mom was lying.””
“Why didn't you call me?””
“I tried to find your number. Vanessa found out Caleb contacted me before I could reach you. She told me he was having behavioral problems too.””
I paced the kitchen.
“Did you sign anything?””
“No.””
“Did you receive documents?””
“Yes.””
“What documents?””
“A temporary care agreement.””
“Anything financial?””
Silence.
“Lauren?””
“She said if Emily stayed with me, Hawthorne could receive funds for preparing a room and covering care.””
There it was.
The same structure again.
Emily moved.
Money followed.
Hawthorne benefited.
“How much?””
“I never saw a final number.””
I rubbed my forehead.
“Why was Vanessa planning to bring Emily to you?””
“I don't know if she actually intended to.””
“But she prepared documents.””
“Yes.””
“Did Eric know?””
“No.””
Eric spoke from nearby.
“I didn't.””
I believed only evidence now.
Not promises.
Not tears.
Not family stories.
Evidence.
Before ending the call, Lauren said something that stayed with me.
“Daniel, Vanessa wasn't always focused on the money.””
“What do you mean?””
“At first she talked constantly about wanting Emily to love her.””
I closed my eyes.
“And later?””
“She started saying Emily was standing between her and the family she deserved.””
After the call, I sat alone in Marcus's kitchen.
The refrigerator hummed behind me.
Such an ordinary sound.
Three nights ago, I wouldn't have noticed it.
Now I could only picture a silver lock.
A discarded dinner.
My daughter's bare feet on cold tile.
At 1:17 a.m., Samuel emailed me copies of newly preserved documents.
One was labeled:
PROPOSED TEMPORARY CARE ARRANGEMENT.
Another concerned Hawthorne expenses.
The last was a handwritten page recovered with Vanessa's papers.
No signature.
No date.
Just a list.
I read each line.
Move Emily.
Finalize guardianship.
Submit housing reimbursement.
Resolve Hawthorne debt.
Talk to Daniel after.
Then, at the bottom, one final sentence had been underlined twice.
Once Emily is gone, he'll calm down.
I stared at those words until they blurred.
My phone rang.
Patricia.
I almost ignored it.
Then I answered.
“Daniel.””
She was crying.
“What now?””
“I found something in Vanessa's old room.””
I said nothing.
“A letter.””
“From who?””
“Rachel.””
I stood so quickly the chair nearly fell.
“What?””
“It's addressed to Vanessa.””
“That isn't possible. Rachel died years before I met Vanessa.””
“I know.””
“Then why would Rachel write to her?””
Patricia's next words made my entire body go cold.
“She didn't.””
I gripped the phone.
“What are you saying?””
“Daniel, somebody wrote this letter recently.””
May you like
I could hear paper trembling in her hand.
“And whoever wrote it was trying to make it look like Rachel wanted Vanessa to become Emily's mother.””
