Chapter 16 - Her Own VoiceThe recording lasted eleven minutes.
The first three were almost meaningless.
Vanessa talking to herself.
Complaining about Megan.
Complaining about Daniel.
Then her tone changed.
“Elise thinks I'm taking this too far.”
Daniel sat perfectly still.
Detective Ruiz listened beside him.
Vanessa's younger voice continued.
“But Elise doesn't understand Megan.”
A pause.
“She never stops.”
Another pause.
“She has to be forced to stop.”
Daniel felt his hands begin to shake.
Then:
“The brake thing might scare her enough.”
Ruiz glanced at Daniel.
Vanessa continued.
“Not enough to kill her. I'm not stupid.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“I loosened the fitting. She'll feel pressure drop.”
Ruiz immediately stopped the recording.
There it was.
Direct evidence.
Not yet murder.
But sabotage.
Ruiz restarted.
“She'll panic. Pull over. Maybe finally believe someone can touch her perfect little life.”
Vanessa laughed softly.
Then:
“If she still goes to Daniel tomorrow, that's her choice.”
Daniel's eyes opened.
Tomorrow.
The day Megan died.
Another pause.
“I'll tell her he wants to see her.”
Daniel's breathing became shallow.
“She'll go. She always goes when it involves him.”
Vanessa sighed.
“And if the brakes scare her, maybe she'll turn around.”
The recording went quiet for several seconds.
Then came the sentence that destroyed any remaining doubt.
“But if she doesn't…”
Vanessa laughed once.
“…well. Some problems solve themselves.”
Daniel stood.
Ruiz didn't stop him.
He walked out of the room.
Into the hallway.
Against the wall.
He couldn't breathe.
Megan had driven toward him because Vanessa told her he wanted her.
In a car Vanessa knew had compromised brakes.
Maybe Vanessa hadn't known the line would fail completely.
Maybe she had.
Daniel no longer cared about the distinction.
His phone rang.
Kate.
He couldn't answer.
It rang again.
Then a text.
CALL ME NOW.
Daniel called.
Kate sounded frantic.
“Sophie is gone.”
The world disappeared.
“What?”
“She was in the backyard.”
Daniel pushed away from the wall.
“What do you mean gone?”
“I went inside for maybe two minutes.”
“Kate.”
“The gate is open.”
Daniel ran back into the interview room.
“Ruiz.”
The detective saw his face.
“What?”
“Sophie disappeared.”
Everything happened at once.
Police dispatched.
Amber Alert procedures started.
Neighbors questioned.
Cameras checked.
Daniel drove with Ruiz toward Kate's house while his entire body shook.
“Vanessa,” he said.
“She is being located.”
“She took her.”
“We don't know.”
“She took her!”
Ruiz's phone rang.
She listened.
Then looked at Daniel.
“Vanessa's apartment is empty.”
Daniel slammed his fist against the dashboard.
Ruiz continued listening.
“What vehicle?”
Her expression changed.
She hung up.
“A neighbor saw a gray SUV outside Kate's house.”
“What kind?”
“Toyota Highlander.”
Daniel stared.
Vanessa drove a white Mercedes.
Then he remembered something.
Peter Lawson.
His divorce attorney.
He drove a gray Highlander.
“Peter.”
Ruiz immediately called dispatch.
Peter's office said he hadn't arrived that morning.
His phone was off.
Daniel felt sick.
“He's helping her.”
Ruiz didn't answer.
They reached Kate's house.
Daniel ran inside.
Kate was crying.
“I looked away for two minutes.”
He hugged her.
“This isn't your fault.”
“She was right there.”
Ruiz entered from the backyard.
“We found something.”
Daniel followed.
Near the gate lay Sophie's bracelet.
The one Megan had given her.
Ruiz picked it up.
“She may have dropped it deliberately.”
Daniel stared at it.
His daughter was smart.
Terrified.
But smart.
A neighbor's doorbell camera had captured the SUV.
The driver was Peter.
Passenger face unclear.
A small figure climbed into the back.
Not dragged.
Daniel's heart broke.
“She knew him?”
“Probably.”
Peter had met Sophie during the divorce.
He could have told her Daniel sent him.
Just like Vanessa told Megan Daniel wanted to see her.
The same trick.
Ruiz's phone buzzed.
License plate reader.
The SUV had entered Interstate 90 heading west.
Daniel stared at the map.
“Where are they going?”
Ruiz shook her head.
Then Daniel's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered immediately.
“Sophie?”
Vanessa's voice.
“She's fine.”
Daniel nearly collapsed.
“If you touch her—”
“I already told you. I don't want to hurt Sophie.”
“You cut her hair.”
“I made a mistake.”
“You kidnapped her.”
“I borrowed time.”
Daniel's vision blurred with rage.
“What do you want?”
“The drive.”
“What?”
“Megan's flash drive.”
“Police have it.”
“Then get it.”
“I can't.”
“Figure it out.”
Daniel heard Sophie crying faintly in the background.
“Daddy?”
His heart shattered.
“Sophie!”
Vanessa's voice returned.
“Six hours.”
“Vanessa—”
“If I don't get Megan's evidence…”
May you like
The softness vanished from her voice.
“…you'll spend the rest of your life wondering whether Sophie's last words were asking for you.”
