Chapter 12 - The Woman Who Filmed
I had assumed Tessa was just Celia's worst friend. The memory card suggested she had been involved years earlier, possibly before she ever stepped into my house.
Rebecca called the detective assigned to June's assault. He agreed to receive a copy of Hannah's material and refer the financial allegations for separate review. He also warned us not to interview potential witnesses in ways that might contaminate their accounts.
By afternoon, Tessa sent me a message from an unfamiliar number.
I know what Celia did. I can explain. Meet alone.
Rebecca read it and shook her head. "Not alone. Not off the record. We can arrange a meeting with counsel present."
Tessa replied to Rebecca instead. She wanted protection from Victor and insisted she had a backup video. She claimed Celia had told her to film June crying so the footage could be used in a guardianship case, but the actual slap frightened her.
"Then why did you laugh?" I asked when we finally spoke through a lawyer-supervised call.
Tessa's voice broke. "Because I thought Celia would turn on me if I didn't. That's not an excuse."
I thought of June standing by the dressing table, trying to apologize to someone who enjoyed her fear.
"You could have stopped her," I said.
"I know."
Tessa told us Victor had been sending money through Wren Harbor's consulting businesses for years. Hannah had stumbled onto invoices that didn't match actual children or services. Tessa had copied documents for her, then panicked when Victor threatened to destroy her career.
"Celia promised me a way out," Tessa said. "She said marrying Grant would get them access to the last evidence Hannah kept."
"Why the fake care agreement?"
A long silence.
May you like
"Because Victor wanted June out of the house before anybody opened that box."
Then Tessa whispered, "There's another recording. And it shows who ordered the whole thing."
