Chapter 15 - The Graveyard
Police surrounded the cemetery before Richard and Anna arrived.
“She could be baiting you.”
“She probably is,” Anna said.
Rain began as they walked toward Emily’s grave.
Vanessa stood beneath a black umbrella.
Richard stopped ten feet away.
“Where’s the proof?”
Vanessa laughed bitterly. “Hello to you too.”
“You drugged my son.”
“I did not give him that much.”
Anna stared at her. “That is not a defense.”
“I pushed him.”
The admission hit like a slap.
Richard moved forward.
Daniels grabbed his arm.
Vanessa backed away.
“I didn’t mean for him to go all the way down. I wanted a bruise. A scare.”
“You pushed a two-year-old,” Richard said.
“I was desperate.”
“For money?”
“For a way out.”
Anna shook her head. “You could have walked away.”
“No. Marilyn doesn’t let people walk away.”
Vanessa reached into her bag.
Police raised their weapons.
She froze.
“It’s a recorder.”
Daniels retrieved it.
Vanessa continued.
“Emily found out Marilyn controlled the company that owned your debt. She also found out I was working for her.”
Richard’s face broke.
“She confronted you in the car.”
Vanessa nodded.
“Emily said she was going to the police.”
Rain ran down her face like tears.
“I begged her not to. I told her Marilyn would kill both of us.”
“What happened?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Marilyn was following us.”
Richard whispered, “No.”
“She hit our car from behind.”
Anna felt sick.
“Emily lost control?”
“Yes.”
“And you survived.”
Vanessa looked at Richard.
“I crawled out. Emily was trapped.”
Richard’s voice shook. “Did you try to save her?”
Vanessa began to cry.
“I did.”
A shot cracked across the cemetery.
Vanessa jerked.
Blood spread across her white blouse.
Anna dropped to the ground.
Daniels shouted, “Sniper!”
As officers rushed forward, Vanessa collapsed beside Emily’s grave.
Her lips moved.
Anna crawled closer.
Vanessa whispered one word.
May you like
“Tower.”
Then another shot shattered the stone angel above them.
