Chapter 10 - Vanessa Came Home at 12:03The police called shortly after eight.
Vanessa had been released pending further investigation.
David already knew she might be coming home.
He had been expecting anger.
He had not expected her to arrive smiling.
At 12:03 p.m., a rideshare stopped at the curb.
Vanessa stepped out wearing the same dark-blue blouse she had worn when she shoved Margaret into the freezer.
Rachel watched from the living room window.
“She has nerve.”
David stood near the front door.
Margaret remained upstairs with the bedroom locked.
When Vanessa reached the porch, David opened the door but did not move aside.
“You can’t stay here.”
Vanessa held his gaze.
“My name is on the residence records.”
“It’s my mother’s house.”
“Actually, I believe you told me it was yours for eleven years.”
David said nothing.
Vanessa smiled faintly.
That answer told him she knew about the trust.
“Where’s Margaret?”
“You’re not going near her.”
“She’s my family too.”
Rachel appeared behind David.
“No, she isn’t.”
Vanessa’s expression hardened.
“Of course you’re here.”
Rachel moved forward.
“You blocked my calls.”
“I was trying to reduce your mother’s stress.”
“You erased my emails to David.”
“Prove it.”
Rachel nearly lunged at her.
David raised one arm.
“Don’t.”
Vanessa looked past them.
“I need clothes.”
“I’ll pack them.”
“I can pack my own things.”
“No.”
“You can’t legally keep me out of my home.”
David almost corrected her.
Then he stopped.
Let her talk.
Let her believe he knew less than he did.
“Fine.”
Vanessa smiled.
“I’ll take ten minutes.”
“I’m coming with you.”
Her smile vanished.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t trust you.”
They went upstairs.
Vanessa entered the master bedroom.
David stayed in the doorway.
She pulled a suitcase from the closet.
Her movements were controlled.
Almost casual.
Too casual.
“You slept with Mark.”
Her hands stopped for half a second.
Then continued.
“Margaret told you.”
“Yes.”
“I assume she also showed you the photograph she took while stalking me.”
David felt his anger rise.
“You don’t get to make yourself the victim.”
“I’m not.”
“How long?”
“Does it matter?”
“Yes.”
Vanessa zipped a bag.
“Five months.”
The number hit harder than expected.
“Why?”
She finally looked at him.
“You were never here.”
David laughed bitterly.
“So you slept with my best friend.”
“I was lonely.”
“You were stealing from my mother.”
“That has nothing to do with Mark.”
“E.M. Holdings.”
For the first time, Vanessa lost control.
Only slightly.
But enough.
“What about it?”
“You tell me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Interesting.”
David stepped aside.
Vanessa moved toward the door.
Then she stopped.
“Where’s my phone?”
“The police have it.”
She nodded.
“And the basement?”
David watched her carefully.
“What about it?”
“Did they take anything?”
There it was.
“Why?”
“No reason.”
Vanessa moved toward the stairs.
David followed.
She reached the foyer.
Then abruptly turned toward the kitchen instead of the front door.
“My keys.”
“What?”
“I left them downstairs.”
“You arrived home with a rideshare.”
“My spare keys.”
David’s pulse accelerated.
“They’re not downstairs.”
“Yes, they are.”
“How do you know?”
Vanessa stopped.
David stepped closer.
“Because you had them when the police took you.”
She looked at him.
He saw the calculation return.
“Move.”
“No.”
“I’m not asking.”
“Neither am I.”
For several seconds, they simply stared at one another.
Then a voice came from upstairs.
“You’re looking for the recorder.”
Margaret stood at the top of the stairs.
Vanessa’s entire face changed.
“Mom, go back into the room,” David said.
Margaret ignored him.
Vanessa slowly looked up.
“You should be resting.”
Margaret gripped the railing.
“You didn’t find it.”
Vanessa smiled.
“I don’t know what you mean.”
“The one I hid.”
Vanessa’s eyes flicked toward David.
A mistake.
Tiny.
But obvious.
David stepped closer.
“You know exactly what she means.”
Vanessa grabbed her suitcase.
“I’m leaving.”
Margaret called after her.
“You’ll never get the house.”
Vanessa stopped.
Silence.
Then she looked back.
“That’s what you think this is about?”
Margaret’s face was pale.
“You wanted the trust.”
Vanessa gave a small laugh.
“No.”
David frowned.
“What’s funny?”
Vanessa looked directly at him.
“Your mother still hasn’t told you everything.”
Margaret’s expression tightened.
David turned.
“Mom?”
Vanessa smiled.
“Ask her who actually controls the trust.”
Margaret’s hand tightened around the railing.
David stared at her.
“I thought you controlled it.”
Margaret did not answer.
Vanessa picked up her suitcase.
“That’s the problem with secrets, David.”
She opened the front door.
“Eventually, everyone forgets who they’re protecting.”
Then she left.
David turned toward Margaret.
“Who controls the trust?”
Margaret descended one step.
Then another.
Her voice was quiet.
“Your father appointed three trustees.”
“You?”
“Yes.”
“Who else?”
Margaret looked at Rachel.
Then David.
“Rachel is one.”
David nodded.
“And the third?”
Margaret closed her eyes.
May you like
When she opened them, there were tears there.
“Mark.”
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