Chapter 17 - Victor’s ListVictor Lane had written five names.
Grace Miller.
Richard Caldwell.
Margaret Harris.
Lawyer Bennett.
Vanessa Caldwell.
Vanessa was last.
Grace stared at the police photograph.
“Why would he target his own sister?”
The detective answered.
“Maybe she knew too much.”
Richard looked toward the hallway.
Vanessa had been brought to the station separately for questioning.
Victor’s car contained Arthur’s stolen letter.
Eleanor’s stolen letter.
Forged trust paperwork.
A handgun.
Cash.
Three passports.
And a folder titled CONTINGENCIES.
Inside were documents prepared for several outcomes.
If Grace’s claim failed, Victor planned to continue extracting management fees.
If Grace’s claim succeeded, he intended to challenge her competency.
Grace laughed when Bennett told her.
“My competency?”
“Financially inexperienced heir. Emotional instability. Vulnerability to manipulation.”
Grace touched her hair.
“Did he mention his sister shaved half my head?”
Bennett smiled grimly.
“That may complicate his argument.”
Another contingency:
Richard declared illegitimate under Charles’s line.
Grace frowned.
“Why would Victor want that?”
“To isolate you as sole beneficiary.”
“So?”
“Easier target.”
Grace understood.
If Richard lost standing, Grace would have fewer family allies.
Victor planned to position Vanessa as mediator.
Then perhaps challenge Grace.
Another document made Richard go silent.
A postnuptial agreement.
Purportedly signed by Richard two months earlier.
He had never seen it.
It granted Vanessa substantial rights to any residential property Richard controlled.
“Forged,” Richard said.
Bennett nodded.
“Likely.”
Grace looked at Richard.
“Did you sign anything two months ago?”
“Tax forms.”
“Who gave them to you?”
He closed his eyes.
“Vanessa.”
The pattern again.
Documents hidden inside documents.
Trust weaponized.
Grace suddenly felt exhausted.
“Where is she?”
“In another interview room.”
Grace stood.
“I want to talk to her.”
Richard frowned.
“Why?”
“Because her name is on Victor’s list.”
“She assaulted you.”
“I know.”
“Grace.”
“I’m not forgiving her.”
She looked at him.
“But I need to know what Victor planned.”
Vanessa looked different without the mansion around her.
No marble.
No chandelier.
No staff.
Just fluorescent light and a metal table.
Grace sat opposite her.
Vanessa stared at the shaved side of Grace’s head.
For once, she looked away first.
“Victor was going to kill you?”
Vanessa whispered:
“I don’t know.”
“You’re on the list.”
“I know.”
“Why?”
“Because I called you.”
Grace frowned.
“Today?”
“Yesterday. When I warned you about the murder file.”
“That was enough?”
“Victor hears betrayal in everything.”
Grace almost smiled at the irony.
“What was the plan?”
Vanessa rubbed her hands.
“He wanted the locker opened.”
“Why?”
“Charles’s confession.”
“To destroy it?”
“No.”
Grace stared.
Vanessa continued.
“To sell it.”
“To who?”
“Richard.”
Grace frowned.
“Richard?”
“He thought Richard would pay to keep Charles’s murder confession private.”
Richard had already said he wanted truth.
Victor never understood that.
“He also wanted Arthur’s trust documents.”
“To challenge me.”
“Yes.”
“And if I won anyway?”
Vanessa looked at Grace.
“He wanted you dependent.”
Grace laughed bitterly.
“On him?”
“On me.”
Silence.
Vanessa’s eyes filled.
“He thought I could stay married to Richard. Convince you the estate was too complicated. Offer to manage things.”
Grace stared.
“You would control it through me.”
“Yes.”
“Were you going to?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“At first.”
Grace felt anger.
“At first?”
“When I realized who you were, yes.”
Grace looked away.
At least the truth was ugly enough to sound real.
Vanessa continued.
“But you weren’t what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
“Greedy.”
Grace laughed.
“Sorry to disappoint.”
“I expected someone who knew.”
“Knew what?”
“That she was an heir.”
Grace’s expression hardened.
“You thought I took a maid job as some elaborate infiltration?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because that’s what I would have done.”
There it was.
Vanessa judged Grace through herself.
Grace leaned back.
“When did you realize I genuinely didn’t know?”
“The necklace.”
“What?”
“When Bennett picked it up.”
Vanessa’s voice shook.
“You looked terrified.”
Grace touched the pendant.
“That was when you knew.”
“Yes.”
“And after?”
“I panicked.”
“You had already shaved my head.”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
Grace let the silence sit.
Then:
“Why my hair?”
Vanessa opened her eyes.
“Richard looked at it.”
“We know why.”
“I didn’t.”
“That’s not enough.”
Vanessa looked ashamed.
“My first husband cheated with women who looked nothing like me.”
Grace frowned.
Vanessa continued.
“Every time he became interested in someone, he noticed something. Hair. Clothes. Laugh.”
Grace stared.
“So Richard staring at me triggered you.”
“Yes.”
“You could have asked him.”
Vanessa laughed sadly.
“I don’t ask questions when I’m afraid of answers.”
Grace felt an unexpected flash of pity.
Then killed it with memory.
BUZZZZ.
Hair falling.
STOP!
“I begged you.”
Vanessa began crying.
“I know.”
“You kept going.”
“Yes.”
“You looked happy.”
Vanessa covered her face.
“I wanted you to feel ugly.”
Grace swallowed.
“Why?”
“Because I felt powerless.”
Grace stared.
Vanessa lowered her hands.
“That’s not an excuse.”
“No.”
“I know.”
Grace stood.
Vanessa whispered:
“Are you going to throw Richard out?”
Grace looked at her.
“That’s what you care about?”
“No.”
“Yes.”
Vanessa’s voice cracked.
“I ruined my marriage for a house that wasn’t even his.”
Grace almost laughed.
It was so absurd.
So sad.
So cruel.
“You ruined your marriage because you treated people like property.”
Vanessa looked down.
Grace moved toward the door.
“Grace.”
She stopped.
“Victor has another document.”
Grace closed her eyes.
“What?”
“A second will from Charles.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“What does it say?”
Vanessa looked frightened.
“That Eleanor didn’t have one child.”
Grace turned.
“What?”
Vanessa whispered:
“Charles claimed your mother had two.”
Grace stopped breathing.
“My mother had another child?”
“I don’t know if it’s true.”
Grace stared.
“Who?”
May you like
Vanessa answered:
“A son.”
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