Chapter 14 - The Price of Silence
"She's asking to be paid for telling the truth," Daniel said.
Simone read the offer twice. "The paper says it's a voluntary settlement of disputed claims. We don't have to accept it. And we should send it to the investigators because of the context."
"I want to write back that she can go to hell."
"You can say that to me. I'll write the response."
They declined. Vanessa's lawyer insisted the proposal had been misunderstood. Simone kept the original with its delivery record.
That evening, a police officer accompanied Vanessa for a scheduled collection of clothes and personal items. Daniel stayed in the kitchen with Noah while Ruth watched the hallway. Vanessa came downstairs carrying a small suitcase.
For one second she looked almost familiar. The woman who had warmed soup for him after Elise's funeral. The woman who had sat through Noah's midnight fever and told him he was doing his best.
"Daniel," she said softly, "you know I never meant to hurt him."
He adjusted Noah on his hip. "I know you carried an iron into his room. I know you disconnected the camera. I know you blamed Maria before anyone asked."
"You make it sound monstrous."
"Then tell me the ordinary explanation."
She looked at the baby. "He was crying all the time. You didn't listen to me. You only listened when something scared you."
"So you scared him?"
She did not answer.
The officer reminded her that the collection time was limited. Vanessa picked up the suitcase and headed to the door. Before leaving, she turned back.
"You're going to find out that love isn't enough," she said.
Daniel looked down at his son. "No. It isn't. Love has to do something."
After she left, Ruth discovered a slim folder wedged behind a dresser drawer she'd been asked to help clear. It contained printed drafts of the false incident reports.
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At the top of the earliest draft, in Vanessa's handwriting, were four words:
GET MARIA OUT FIRST.
