Chapter 12 - VANESSA’S SHADOW
Cole moved Emma to another safe location.
Only four people knew the address.
Emma was told not to answer unknown calls or approach the windows.
Daniel was placed in a separate hotel under police protection.
Margaret and Charles were held without bail.
Grant Mercer agreed to testify in exchange for reduced charges.
Vanessa remained missing.
For two days, nothing happened.
On the third morning, Emma received a package.
There was no return address.
Inside was a baby blanket embroidered with the Whitmore family crest.
A note was pinned to it.
Your child belongs to us.
Cole sealed the package as evidence.
“How did it reach this building?”
“It was delivered to the police station first.”
“The clerk believed it came from your attorney.”
Emma stared at the note.
“She has someone inside the department.”
Cole did not dismiss the possibility.
Only a small team knew the station was handling Emma’s security.
Park reviewed access logs.
One officer had opened Emma’s case file shortly before the package arrived.
Officer Kyle Benton had worked security at Whitmore charity events for years.
When questioned, Benton denied helping Vanessa.
Then investigators found a payment from a foundation account to his sister.
Benton attempted to leave the station.
He was arrested in the parking garage.
Inside his car, police found a second phone.
The latest message came from Vanessa.
Gala proceeds as planned.
Emma frowned when Cole showed her the message.
“What gala?”
Daniel answered from the video call.
“The Whitmore Foundation winter gala.”
“It is scheduled for tomorrow night.”
Cole shook his head.
“The event was canceled.”
“Publicly,” Daniel said.
“My family uses the gala to meet donors and move private funds before the end of the quarter.”
“If Vanessa is continuing with it, she needs access to the foundation’s master account.”
Emma remembered something Thomas Bell had told her.
The master account could not be accessed remotely.
It required two physical authorization keys.
Charles had one.
The other was kept inside a vault beneath the Whitmore Grand Hotel, where the gala was held each year.
Vanessa intended to steal the key and transfer the remaining money.
“She is not running,” Emma said.
“She is preparing to disappear.”
“With enough money to start again,” Cole added.
Daniel leaned closer to the screen.
“The gala invitations contain encrypted entry codes.”
“I still have mine.”
Cole looked at him.
“You are not attending.”
“Vanessa will expect me.”
“She believes I have access to Charles’s authorization key.”
Emma understood immediately.
“Do you?”
Daniel reached into his pocket.
He held up a small silver card.
“My father gave it to me after his arrest.”
“He asked me to protect the family.”
Cole stared at the card.
“Or he expected Vanessa to come for it.”
Daniel nodded.
“We can use it to bring her out.”
Emma shook her head.
“She will not trust Daniel alone.”
“Why not?” Cole asked.
“Because she believes I turned him against her.”
Emma looked at Vanessa’s note.
“She wants me to know she is still in control.”
“She wants to see me afraid.”
Daniel’s expression changed.
“No.”
Emma continued before he could argue.
“If I attend the gala, Vanessa will appear.”
Cole folded his arms.
“You are pregnant and recovering from a fall.”
“I will not place you in an uncontrolled environment.”
“Then control it.”
Emma met his eyes.
“Fill the hotel with officers.”
“Replace the staff.”
“Track every entrance.”
“But let Vanessa believe she has one last chance to defeat me.”
Cole remained silent.
Emma picked up the embroidered blanket.
May you like
“She will keep attacking until she is arrested.”
“I am done hiding from her shadow.”
