Chapter 15: The Sister Who Disappeared
Vanessa dropped her phone.
It struck the floor and skidded beneath the table.
“No.””
She backed away.
“No, no, no…”
June grabbed her shoulders.
“Vanessa, look at me.””
“Richard has my daughter.””
“Listen to me. The police know. They'll find her.””
Vanessa shook her head violently.
“You don't understand. He knows every place I've ever taken her.””
Hank moved toward the door.
“Detective Harris needs to know exactly where Lily might be.””
Martin picked up the phone.
“Harris, this is Martin Ellison. What is the current situation?””
The detective answered immediately.
“Richard and Victoria are separated. We have Richard in custody. Victoria is cooperating, but she says Lily is being held somewhere else.””
“Where?””
“We're trying to establish that.””
Vanessa grabbed the phone.
“Detective, listen to me. Lily has asthma. She needs her inhaler.””
“We know. We've already alerted medical responders.””
“Richard knows where I keep her medicine!””
“Vanessa, we're doing everything possible.””
She began crying.
“Please find my daughter.””
Harris's voice softened.
“We will.””
The call ended.
Hank turned toward Boone.
“Get the others on the phone. Nobody goes looking alone.””
Boone nodded and stepped outside.
June guided Vanessa to the couch.
“Sit down.””
“I can't sit down. My little girl is out there.””
“I know.””
Vanessa buried her face in her hands.
Then she looked at June.
“Rachel knew this would happen.””
June frowned.
“What?””
“She told me Richard would use Lily if he ever discovered I had kept the evidence.””
Vanessa reached into her bag and pulled out a small photograph.
It showed two little girls standing in front of a Christmas tree.
One was Vanessa.
The other was Victoria.
On the back was a date from eleven years earlier.
June studied it.
“What happened between you?””
Vanessa took a shaky breath.
“Victoria and I grew up together. We were inseparable until we were twenty-five. Then Richard came into our lives.””
“Which one of you dated him?””
“Victoria.””
June looked surprised.
Vanessa continued.
“Richard was charming at first. He promised her a future. He introduced her to Derek. They all started working together.””
“What happened?””
“Victoria discovered the fraud. She wanted out. Richard threatened her.””
Vanessa looked toward the floor.
“She disappeared one night. Nobody knew where she went. I thought she had left town.””
Hank folded his arms.
“And you never heard from her?””
“Not for eleven years.””
Martin leaned forward.
“Why would she have Rachel's recording?””
Vanessa looked at him.
“Because she helped Rachel make the first copy.””
June's eyes widened.
“What?””
Vanessa nodded.
“Rachel found the financial records, but Victoria knew how Richard operated. She helped her set up a hidden recording system.””
Martin stared.
“Then why did she disappear?””
“Because she had something Richard wanted.””
“What?””
Vanessa hesitated.
“Proof that Richard had been using stolen identities to open accounts.””
Hank looked at the detective's empty chair.
“That could explain the overseas money.””
Vanessa nodded.
“And it could explain why he needs the trust documents.””
Martin looked down.
“If Richard can establish control over Eli's inheritance, he can use it to legitimize money he has already moved.””
June felt sick.
“He wanted to steal from a child?””
Vanessa's eyes filled.
“He has always wanted money. People were just obstacles.””
At that moment, Hank's phone vibrated.
A message from Boone.
We found a location connected to Victoria.
Hank showed Martin.
“What location?””
“The old warehouse near the river.””
Vanessa immediately stood.
“No.””
Hank looked at her.
“What?””
“That's where Richard used to keep the fake business records.””
Martin grabbed his coat.
“I'm going with the police.””
Hank shook his head.
“Not a chance. Stay here.””
“That's my daughter out there,” Vanessa said.
“And you have to be ready when they bring her back.””
Vanessa looked as if she wanted to argue.
But June took her hand.
“We'll get Lily home.””
Hank stepped onto the porch.
Boone was waiting beside his motorcycle.
“Police are already on the way.””
“Good.””
They didn't approach the warehouse.
They stayed at a safe distance while officers secured the area.
The building was an old brick structure with boarded windows and a rusted metal loading door.
A patrol car pulled up.
Detective Harris stepped out.
“Hank, I told you to stay with the family.””
“I am staying out of your way.””
Harris gave him a tired look.
“That's what I'm counting on.””
The officers entered through the side door.
A few minutes passed.
Then someone shouted.
“Detective!””
Harris ran inside.
Hank remained outside.
He heard footsteps, a door opening, and a woman crying.
Then Harris emerged.
He was carrying a little girl.
Lily.
Vanessa's daughter.
The child looked frightened but conscious.
Hank let out a breath.
“Is she okay?””
“She needs medical attention, but she's alive.””
An ambulance arrived moments later.
Harris spoke into his radio.
“Get medical assistance here immediately.””
Inside the building, officers had found Victoria.
She was sitting on the floor beside a filing cabinet.
Her hands were bound.
A cut marked her forehead.
When Harris approached, she looked up.
“Is Lily safe?””
“Yes.””
Victoria began crying.
“Thank God.””
“Where's Richard?””
She shook her head.
“He left before you arrived.””
Harris frowned.
“He was in custody.””
“Not Derek's brother. Derek.””
The detective went still.
“What?””
Victoria looked at him.
“Richard told me Derek was supposed to be arrested tonight. He said it was part of the plan.””
Hank stepped inside.
“What plan?””
Victoria looked toward him.
“To make everyone believe Richard was the mastermind.””
Harris crouched.
“Explain.””
Victoria took a shaky breath.
“Richard planned the financial scheme. He arranged the medical fraud. But Derek knew everything. He was supposed to take the fall after the evidence disappeared.””
“Why would Richard sacrifice him?””
“Because Derek was becoming dangerous. Richard wanted the money, and Derek wanted the boy.””
Harris frowned.
“Where is Derek now?””
Victoria looked down.
“He has a plane ticket.””
“To where?””
“Mexico.””
Hank's jaw tightened.
“When?””
Victoria looked at the clock on the wall.
“Midnight.””
Harris checked his watch.
It was 11:36 p.m.
He immediately called airport security.
Then Victoria reached into her coat pocket.
“I have something else.””
She pulled out a small metal key.
“Richard gave me this. He said it opened the final storage unit.””
“What storage unit?””
“Number 309. At the old railway depot.””
Harris stared at the key.
“What is inside?””
Victoria looked directly at him.
“The original documents. The real medical records. The recordings Richard couldn't destroy.””
Hank stepped closer.
“Why didn't he take them himself?””
“Because the unit requires two keys.””
“Who has the other one?””
Victoria looked toward the detective.
“Derek.””
Harris stood immediately.
“Then we need to get to the airport.””
Victoria grabbed his sleeve.
“Wait.””
“What?””
She looked terrified.
“Derek isn't going to the airport to escape.””
Harris frowned.
“Then why?””
Victoria swallowed.
“Because he's going to meet someone.””
“Who?””
Victoria's answer made Hank's blood run cold.
“Dr. Reed.””
“He's in the hospital,” Harris said.
“Not anymore. Richard arranged for someone to move him.””
Harris's radio crackled.
A voice reported that Dr. Reed's hospital room was empty.
His IV line had been disconnected.
The security cameras showed a man wearing a hospital uniform pushing him through a service exit.
Harris turned toward the officers.
“Lock down the railway depot. Now.””
Victoria grabbed his arm again.
“You don't understand. There's a third person.””
Hank looked at her.
“Who?””
Victoria's voice dropped.
“The person who paid Richard and Derek to keep Rachel quiet.””
Harris stared.
“Who paid them?””
Victoria looked at the key in her hand.
Then she whispered:
“Rachel's insurance beneficiary.””
June's name.
For a moment, the entire room seemed to stop.
Hank shook his head.
“That's impossible.””
Victoria nodded.
“That's what I thought.””
She looked at Detective Harris.
“But the money wasn't supposed to go to June.””
Her eyes filled.
“It was supposed to go to a man who died twenty years ago.””
And then she revealed the name.
*Arthur Mitchell.*
Derek and Richard's father.
The man whose death certificate had been issued two decades earlier.
The man whose signature appeared on the original insurance documents.
May you like
The man Rachel had written about in her final notebook.
And the man who, according to the records Victoria had just uncovered, was still alive.
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