Chapter 2: The Secret in Vanessa's Purse
Nobody moved.
The music from the reception hall continued downstairs, a cheerful melody that sounded horribly out of place.
I held Lily closer.
"Marcus, take my daughter outside.""
Marcus stepped forward.
"Daniel, are you sure?""
"Please. Get her somewhere safe.""
Lily immediately tightened her arms around my neck.
"No, Daddy. Don't leave me.""
I kissed her forehead.
"I'm not leaving you, sweetheart. Uncle Marcus is going to sit with you for a minute. I need to ask Vanessa something.""
Lily looked at Vanessa.
"Is Mommy coming home?""
Vanessa's mouth opened, but no words came out.
Marcus gently took Lily from my arms.
"Come on, princess. Let's get you some water.""
As they left, Lily looked over Marcus's shoulder.
"Don't let her take you away too.""
That sentence nearly broke me.
I waited until the door closed.
Then I faced Vanessa.
"Start talking.""
She wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
"Daniel, I didn't want you to find out like this.""
"Find out what?""
"That Alicia contacted me.""
"When?""
"Yesterday afternoon.""
"At what time?""
"About five.""
"Where?""
"At my apartment.""
I stared at her.
"You told me you were at the salon yesterday afternoon.""
"I was.""
"Then why was Alicia calling you?""
Vanessa looked down.
"She didn't call my regular phone. She used an old number.""
"How do you know it was her?""
"She said my name.""
I took another step toward her.
"What exactly did she say?""
Vanessa sat down heavily on the dressing-room sofa.
"She said she wanted to speak to Lily.""
My stomach tightened.
"And?""
"I told her that wasn't possible.""
"Why?""
"Because I didn't know what she wanted!""
I laughed once, without humor.
"You expect me to believe you received a call from my missing wife, and your first instinct was to refuse to let her speak to her own daughter?""
Vanessa covered her face.
"Daniel, you don't understand.""
"Then explain it.""
She lowered her hands.
"Alicia told me she was coming back.""
I felt the floor shift beneath me.
"Coming back where?""
"To Atlanta.""
"When?""
"She didn't say.""
"Did she give you an address?""
"No.""
"Did she tell you where she's been?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"She only said that she had been watching Lily from a distance.""
I stared at her.
"Watching our daughter?""
"That's what she said.""
"Where?""
"I don't know.""
"How long?""
"I don't know, Daniel!""
Her voice cracked.
I walked toward the dressing table and gripped its edge.
Three years.
Three years of police reports, sleepless nights, private investigators, and unanswered questions.
And Vanessa had received a call from Alicia.
Yesterday.
"Why didn't you tell me?"" I asked.
She stared at the floor.
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of what?""
"Of losing you.""
I turned around.
"You were afraid of losing me, so you hid the fact that my missing wife was alive?""
Vanessa started crying.
"I know how it sounds.""
"No. You don't.""
I pulled out my phone.
"Give me the number.""
"What?""
"The number Alicia called from.""
Vanessa hesitated.
"Daniel—"
"Now.""
She opened her purse with shaking fingers.
Inside were her makeup bag, a small wallet, a folded receipt, and her phone.
She unlocked it and placed it on the table.
I took it.
The call history showed an unfamiliar number.
One missed call.
One answered call.
Duration: four minutes and seventeen seconds.
I photographed the screen.
Then I called the number.
A mechanical voice answered.
"The number you have dialed is no longer in service.""
I tried again.
The same message.
I looked at Vanessa.
"Was this the number?""
She nodded.
I opened the messages.
There was a conversation saved under a single letter.
A.
My fingers went cold.
The last message had arrived at 5:18 p.m. the previous day.
Don't tell Daniel. Not until I'm sure he is safe.
I read it twice.
Then a second message appeared above it.
I know what happened to the money. I have the proof.
I looked up.
"What money?""
Vanessa snatched the phone from my hand.
"Don't!""
I stared at her.
"Give it back.""
She backed away.
"Please, Daniel. You have to listen to me.""
"What money was Alicia talking about?""
Vanessa pressed the phone against her chest.
"Your company.""
I frowned.
"My company?""
"Three years ago, before she disappeared, Alicia discovered something.""
"What?""
Vanessa looked toward the closed door.
Then she whispered:
"Someone was transferring money out of Brooks Development.""
My company.
I had started it with my father twenty years earlier. We built commercial properties, apartment complexes, and hotels across Georgia.
When Alicia disappeared, I was in the middle of expanding the business.
The company had suffered several financial problems around that time, but my accountant had assured me everything was under control.
I had never connected those issues to my wife's disappearance.
"How much money?"" I asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know.""
"Who was doing it?""
"I don't know.""
"Then how do you know Alicia discovered anything?""
"Because she told me.""
"When?""
Vanessa looked at me.
"Two days before she disappeared.""
My breathing became shallow.
"Why would she tell you?""
"Because we were friends.""
I stared at her.
"You and Alicia were friends?""
Vanessa nodded.
"We met through a charity event. You introduced us.""
I remembered.
Alicia had once invited Vanessa to our house for dinner. They had laughed together in the kitchen while I helped Lily with a puzzle.
I remembered Vanessa holding my wife's hand when Alicia complained about feeling overwhelmed.
I remembered thinking how lucky I was that the two most important women in my life got along.
"When did that friendship end?"" I asked.
Vanessa didn't answer.
I picked up my phone.
"I'm calling the police.""
She grabbed my wrist.
"Don't!""
I pulled away.
"Get your hands off me.""
"If you call them, you'll destroy everything!""
"Everything? My wife disappeared. My daughter has been living without her mother.
You just admitted you knew Alicia was alive. What exactly is there left to destroy?""
Vanessa looked terrified.
Then she said something I wasn't prepared for.
"Alicia didn't disappear because of the money.""
I stared at her.
"Then why?""
She opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, the dressing-room door swung open.
Marcus stood there.
His face was pale.
"Daniel, we have a problem.""
"What happened?""
"Lily just told me something.""
I looked past him.
"Where is she?""
"She's safe. But she says the woman who called Vanessa yesterday wasn't the first person to contact her.""
My stomach tightened.
"What do you mean?""
Marcus swallowed.
"She says someone has been visiting her at school.""
I turned toward Vanessa.
She was crying silently now.
"Who?"" I asked.
Marcus looked directly at me.
"She says the man told her he was Mommy's friend.""
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Then he added:
"He told her not to tell you because you were the reason Mommy couldn't come home.""
