Chapter 9 - A Signature in Her Name
"Don't step out yet," I told Iris.
"Why not?"
"Because they want you alone in front of cameras. Let the police hear your account first."
Sloane reached us with Mrs. Heller's video saved to her phone. The recording showed Vanessa's whole kick, my catch, and the photographers shifting into place moments earlier.
"May I share this with my editor?" Sloane asked the woman.
"Please do," Mrs. Heller said. "She's been lying to everybody."
At 9:33, two uniformed officers entered the ballroom. I waved them over, introduced Iris, and showed the marks on her wrist. We gave separate accounts of the locked room, the missing phone, and Pike's threats.
"Where is he now?" Officer Monroe asked.
"Security control," Grace said. "Unless he's already gone."
The other officer asked Iris to wait nearby with an event supervisor while he checked the basement. Monroe looked at the blue folder and said, "Financial records aren't my specialty. Don't hand the originals around."
"I photographed them," I told her. "There's a reporter who can explain what they mean."
Elliot joined us, looking more exhausted than angry.
"Iris," he said, "if anyone working for my foundation harmed you, I'll cooperate fully."
"Then stop the approval," she answered.
He frowned. "What approval?"
Iris pointed toward a leather portfolio on the donors' table. "The one with my name on the witness page. I saw it earlier."
Elliot opened the portfolio. There were two witness signatures beneath a board resolution dated tonight. One read IRIS VEGA.
Her face went rigid. "That's not mine."
I studied the letters. A stranger had even spelled her middle initial wrong.
Monroe photographed the page. Elliot turned toward Vanessa.
"Why is her name on this?"
Vanessa didn't answer. She reached for the portfolio instead.
May you like
Monroe placed a hand over it. "Ma'am, please don't touch that."
Then Elliot flipped to the final page and found his own signature there too.
