Chapter 8 - THE PARTY WAS PLANNED
The attorney arrived at nine.
Her name was Rebecca Shaw, and she did not waste words.
"Do not confront Vanessa about the trust documents until we know what she did with them."
"She already forged my signature."
"Then assume there is more."
She reviewed the party video twice.
"Who organized this event?"
"Vanessa."
"Why was your daughter tied with ribbon?"
I looked at Lily.
She was coloring at the far end of the table with Jenna.
"Vanessa called it a punishment game."
Rebecca's jaw tightened.
Peter texted me the guest list from the invitation app.
Twenty-three adults had been invited.
The event title was not "Garden Party."
It was "Truth Day."
The description read:
A fun little intervention to teach Lily accountability before her big transition.
Big transition.
Boarding school.
Rebecca asked, "Did the guests know what would happen?"
"I don't know."
We started calling them.
Most claimed they thought the ribbons and water were part of a harmless social-media challenge.
One woman, Alicia, started crying.
"Vanessa said Lily had been making false accusations and needed to admit them publicly."
"What accusations?"
"That Vanessa scared her. That she took things. That she locked doors."
"And you believed Vanessa?"
Alicia went quiet.
"I wanted to."
Then she said something that made Rebecca sit forward.
"There was supposed to be a second part."
"What second part?"
"Vanessa had papers. She said once Lily apologized, she wanted everyone to witness her agreeing to go away willingly."
"Go away where?"
"School, I guess."
Rebecca held out her hand for my phone.
"Ask Alicia exactly what the papers looked like."
I did.
Her answer came immediately.
"Blue folder. Gold tab. It said Mercer Trust Company."
Rebecca's face changed.
"Daniel," she said, "this was not about discipline."
May you like
She tapped the table once.
"It was about getting witnesses."
