Chapter 8 - The Photograph
"This was planned," I said.
Mark did not argue.
The photograph of Chloe had been taken three weeks before the push.
Someone had been watching our daughter.
Detective Ruiz came by with another officer.
"We checked the image metadata. It was printed yesterday, but the photo itself is older."
"Who took it?"
"We're working on that."
Mark handed her the forged executive authority document.
Ruiz studied the signature.
"This gives Vanessa temporary control if you're medically or emotionally unable to perform your duties?"
"Yes."
I stared at the language.
Emotional incapacity following a family emergency.
A family emergency.
"If Chloe had been hit by that SUV..."
Mark finished it.
"I would have been at the hospital. Maybe for days."
"And Vanessa would have presented this to the board."
Ruiz nodded slowly.
"That is a theory. We still need evidence."
Dave arrived carrying a laptop.
"I found something in Maria's old cloud account."
One folder was labeled V.
Inside were monthly payments to a private investigator named Nolan Price.
Ruiz searched the name.
Her face tightened.
"He's licensed."
Mark looked over her shoulder.
"Address?"
"Don't even think about it."
"I wasn't."
He absolutely was.
Ruiz called Price.
No answer.
Then Dave opened a second file.
Maria had written a note:
NOLAN FOLLOWS FAMILY. V WANTS ROUTES, SCHOOL, GYM, CHURCH. SAYS "RISK ASSESSMENT." I DON'T BELIEVE HER.
Vanessa had been paying someone to track us for at least a year.
Chloe came downstairs holding her stuffed fox.
"Mommy?"
"Yes, baby?"
"Is this because I took Aunt Vanessa's blue key?"
I crouched.
"What do you mean took?"
Chloe looked guilty.
"I picked it up when she dropped it."
Mark and I stared at each other.
"Chloe," he said gently, "where is it now?"
She pointed toward her bedroom.
May you like
"In Mr. Fox."
The blue drive had been inside our house all night.
