Chapter 13: The Woman Behind the Kidnapping
"I'm Vanessa. And Richard isn't the one who kidnapped your mother.""
My father stared at the phone.
"Then who did?""
Vanessa's breathing was uneven.
"Pearl arranged it herself.""
Nobody moved.
Daniel stepped closer.
"That's a lie.""
"I wish it were.""
My father put the call on speaker.
"Vanessa, listen carefully. If you're playing games—"
"I'm not, Marcus. Richard is dangerous, but Pearl has been protecting him for years.""
Grandma Pearl's photograph flashed through my mind.
Her frightened expression.
Her trembling hands.
The message demanding the original ledger.
None of it made sense.
Daniel grabbed the phone.
"Where is my mother?""
"At the old church.""
"Who took her?""
Vanessa hesitated.
"She went there voluntarily.""
Daniel's face twisted.
"You're telling me she arranged her own kidnapping?""
"She wanted Richard to believe she was being held against her will. She knew he would use her to force you to bring the ledger.""
My father shook his head.
"Why would she do that?""
Vanessa lowered her voice.
"Because she wants the money.""
Thomas Bennett stepped forward.
"Vanessa, do you have evidence?""
"I have recordings.""
"Of what?""
"Pearl speaking with Richard. I recorded them last week.""
Daniel looked furious.
"Why should we believe you?""
"Because I have something else. The original medical report from Elizabeth's final hospitalization.""
My stomach tightened.
"Where?""
"At my apartment.""
My father took the phone.
"Why didn't you give this to the police?""
"Because I was afraid.""
"Of Richard?""
Vanessa laughed bitterly.
"Of both of them.""
Daniel paced across the living room.
"You're expecting us to believe you suddenly grew a conscience?""
"No. I'm expecting you to understand that Richard has been using me, too.""
I remembered the emails.
The false property documents.
The money.
The broken ornaments.
"You helped destroy my mother's things," I said.
Vanessa went quiet.
"Yes.""
"You tried to sell her belongings.""
"Yes.""
"You tried to steal my house.""
She swallowed.
"Yes.""
My hands began trembling.
"Then why should I believe anything you say?""
Vanessa's voice softened.
"Because I know where Sophie was supposed to be taken tonight.""
Sophie stepped closer.
"Where?""
"An airport outside the city. Richard arranged for someone to take you there after the church meeting.""
My father immediately moved in front of Sophie.
"Nobody is taking her anywhere.""
Vanessa continued.
"There's a private flight scheduled for eleven-thirty. The passenger list has your name on it, Sophie.""
Sophie looked horrified.
"I never agreed to that.""
"That's why I'm calling.""
Daniel grabbed his coat.
"We're going to the church.""
Thomas shook his head.
"We need the police.""
Vanessa interrupted.
"Don't involve the local officers. Richard has someone feeding him information.""
Detective Brooks, who was still on the line with Thomas, immediately spoke.
"Who?""
Vanessa went silent.
"Vanessa, this is Detective Brooks. Tell me the name.""
There was a long pause.
Then Vanessa answered.
"Officer James Carter.""
Detective Brooks looked at her colleague.
"Are you certain?""
"I saw him with Richard twice.""
Detective Brooks ended the call and immediately contacted her supervisor.
Thomas turned toward us.
"We're not going anywhere until the police confirm the situation.""
Daniel looked at me.
"Your grandmother may be in danger.""
I picked up the brass key.
"Then we need to find her.""
At 10:25 p.m., Detective Brooks returned with two officers from another district.
She had arranged a secure operation around the old church.
Nobody would approach the building without authorization.
Vanessa agreed to meet us at a nearby gas station.
My father insisted on coming.
So did I.
Sophie stayed with Thomas and two uniformed officers.
When we arrived, Vanessa was standing beside a black sedan.
She looked different.
Her makeup was gone, her hair was messy, and there was a small cut near her eyebrow.
My father approached her.
"Where are the recordings?""
She opened her handbag and handed Detective Brooks a small flash drive.
"Everything is on there.""
Detective Brooks examined it.
"Why should I trust this?""
"You shouldn't. Verify it.""
Vanessa turned toward me.
"Maya, I need to tell you something.""
I crossed my arms.
"Go ahead.""
She looked at the ground.
"Your mother knew I was involved with Richard before she died.""
"I know.""
"She also knew I was planning to marry your father.""
My father stared at her.
"What?""
Vanessa swallowed.
"Richard introduced us. He told me Marcus was vulnerable after Elizabeth's death. He said marrying him would give us access to the property and his company.""
My father looked sick.
"So our marriage was arranged?""
"At first.""
"At first?""
Vanessa began crying.
"I did develop feelings for you, Marcus. But Richard never stopped controlling me.""
I looked at her.
"Did you ever care about me?""
She couldn't meet my eyes.
"I tried.""
"That's not an answer.""
"No," she whispered.
"I didn't know how to love someone whose mother I had helped betray.""
The confession hung between us.
Detective Brooks interrupted.
"We'll deal with that later. Right now, I need to hear the recordings.""
She connected the flash drive to a secure laptop.
A conversation began.
Pearl's voice was unmistakable.
"Richard, the girls must never see the ledger.""
Richard answered.
"They're already too close.""
"Then we make sure they don't reach the church.""
"And the money?""
"Twenty-four million. Half goes to you. The rest is mine.""
Daniel closed his eyes.
My father looked as if he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
Then another voice spoke.
It was Grandma Pearl again.
"Elizabeth should never have trusted me with that account.""
Richard laughed.
"She trusted you because she thought you were her mother.""
Pearl answered quietly.
"She was my daughter. I loved her.""
"Then why did you betray her?""
There was a pause.
Then Grandma said something that made me stop breathing.
"Because I thought I could save both my children.""
The recording ended.
Daniel stepped away.
"My mother...""
Detective Brooks turned toward him.
"We need to get inside that church.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"There's something else.""
She reached into her coat and removed a folded piece of paper.
It was an old photograph.
Grandma Pearl stood beside Richard.
They were holding hands.
The date on the back was eleven years earlier.
I looked at Daniel.
"Was Grandma involved with Richard?""
Daniel's face crumpled.
"Apparently, I never knew my own family.""
Then Detective Brooks received a message.
She read it.
Her expression changed.
"The church is empty.""
My father looked up.
"What?""
"Our officers found the door unlocked. No sign of Pearl.""
I stared at Vanessa.
"You said she was there.""
Vanessa looked terrified.
"She was.""
Detective Brooks turned the photograph over.
There was an address written on the back.
A small farmhouse outside town.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number.
*MAYA, COME ALONE. I HAVE YOUR GRANDMOTHER. AND I HAVE THE TRUTH ABOUT YOUR MOTHER'S DEATH.*
Beneath it was a photograph.
Grandma Pearl was sitting in a wooden chair.
Behind her stood a woman I recognized.
Vanessa.
May you like
But the photograph was dated that morning.
And Vanessa was standing beside someone whose face had been deliberately scratched out.
