Chapter 3 - THE WOMAN IN THE PHOTOGRAPH
Arthur carried the contents of the black drawer into his private study.
He placed each item carefully on the desk.
Sarah remained near the doorway with Bella asleep against her shoulder.
The child had finally surrendered to exhaustion.
Her small hand still held Sarah’s apron.
Detective Daniel Reyes arrived twenty minutes later.
He had worked with Arthur privately for nearly a year.
Before becoming a corporate investigator, Reyes had spent eighteen years with the state police.
His gray suit was wrinkled.
His eyes were sharp.
He examined the photograph without touching it.
“Where did you find this?”
“In Vanessa’s dressing room.”
Arthur’s voice sounded empty.
Reyes looked at him.
“You told me you believed Vanessa was connected to Claire’s death.”
“I believed she knew something.”
Arthur stared at the photograph.
“I didn’t know she had been near the car.”
Sarah shifted Bella’s weight.
“You knew Vanessa before Claire died?”
Arthur did not answer immediately.
The silence made Sarah uncomfortable.
Reyes closed the study door.
“Sarah saved your daughter tonight.”
“She deserves the truth.”
Arthur looked toward Bella.
Then he removed his tuxedo jacket and dropped it over a chair.
“Vanessa worked for the Sterling Foundation.”
“She was Claire’s assistant.”
Sarah’s eyes widened.
“Your wife trusted her?”
“At first.”
Arthur turned toward the dark window.
“Claire discovered money disappearing from the foundation.”
“Millions of dollars were being transferred through false construction projects and overseas charities.”
“She believed someone inside Sterling Heavy Industries was using the foundation to hide illegal payments.”
“Vanessa handled the financial records.”
Sarah looked at the photograph again.
“Did Claire confront her?”
“The night before Claire died.”
Arthur’s jaw tightened.
“Claire called me.”
“She said Vanessa was involved, but she refused to explain over the phone.”
“She wanted to meet me at our lake house.”
“She never arrived.”
Claire’s vehicle had left the road during heavy rain.
The official report blamed speed and brake failure.
Investigators called it an accident.
Arthur had never believed them.
“Why did you become engaged to Vanessa?”
Sarah asked.
Arthur’s face showed no pride in the answer.
“Because she disappeared for eighteen months after the crash.”
“When she returned, she claimed she wanted to tell me the truth.”
“She said she was afraid.”
“She said powerful people were watching her.”
Reyes spoke quietly.
“Arthur kept her close so we could identify those people.”
Sarah looked down at Bella’s damaged hair.
“And you brought her into the same house as your daughter.”
Arthur flinched.
It was a small movement, but Sarah saw it.
“I believed the cameras and security team would protect Bella.”
“You believed wrong.”
Sarah’s words came out harsher than she intended.
Arthur did not defend himself.
“Yes.”
He faced her.
“I did.”
Bella stirred against Sarah’s shoulder.
A soft sound escaped her.
“Mommy.”
Arthur stepped closer.
Bella’s eyes opened.
She looked toward the silver bracelet on the desk.
May you like
Then she whispered another word.
“Garage.”
