Chapter 13
The address belonged to his executive assistant, Paige Warren.
Paige had worked for Daniel for eleven years.
She knew his schedule, passwords, flights, attorneys, and the names of every person who mattered to him.
When Daniel confronted her, she cried before he finished the first sentence.
"Vanessa told me Grace was stalking you."
"So you deleted legal messages?"
"I thought I was protecting you."
"From my daughter's mother?"
"She said the judge knew."
Daniel put both hands on the conference table.
"Did you read the emails?"
Paige nodded.
"Some."
"Then you knew Grace was talking about Lily."
Paige's face collapsed.
"I should have told you."
"Yes."
He fired her.
But before she left, Paige gave investigators access to an encrypted folder Vanessa had asked her to maintain.
Inside were travel schedules.
Copies of Daniel's signature.
Draft custody statements.
Photos of Grace.
And a spreadsheet named TRANSITION.
Grace opened it with Ruiz present.
Columns listed dates.
Daniel's business trips.
Lily's appointments.
Mercer's reports.
Brighton House availability.
And trust-transfer milestones.
"This was a project plan," Daniel whispered.
Grace pointed to the final row.
DEC 18 - PLACEMENT COMPLETE
DEC 19 - TRUST PETITION
DEC 22 - PUBLIC STATEMENT
Ruiz asked, "What public statement?"
Paige looked sick.
"Vanessa wrote one."
The draft announcement claimed Lily had entered a trauma treatment program after "a dangerous intrusion by her biological mother."
Grace read it once.
Then set the page down.
"She was going to make me the reason Lily disappeared."
Daniel looked at the date.
December 18.
The hallway attack had happened December 17.
Everything was timed.
Every accusation.
Every call.
Every forged form.
Then Ruiz's analyst opened one more file from the encrypted folder.
An audio clip.
Vanessa speaking to someone whose voice was distorted by poor reception.
"If the child talks, the trust is dead."
The other person answered.
"Then make sure she doesn't talk."
Daniel felt cold.
Ruiz replayed the voice.
Again.
Then she looked at him.
"We need to identify the second speaker."
Daniel already had an idea.
May you like
Because he had heard that exact phrase before.
At his own wedding.
