Chapter 7
Police stationed officers near Lily’s school.
Mason’s soccer field.
My house.
His grandmother’s home.
For the first time, I understood why Vanessa said she was afraid.
Caleb was alive.
And he had been watching us.
Vanessa agreed to cooperate in exchange for prosecutors considering her assistance.
I hated the idea.
But Harper wanted Caleb.
So did I.
Vanessa met us in an interview room.
She looked different without control.
Smaller.
“Tell me everything,” Harper said.
Vanessa stared at me.
“I didn’t know Caleb would target Lily when I married Daniel.”
I laughed bitterly.
“You knew about her trust.”
“Yes.”
“You entered my life because of it.”
“Yes.”
“Then don’t pretend you were innocent.”
“I’m not.”
At least she admitted that.
Harper asked, “Why starve Lily?”
Vanessa closed her eyes.
“Caleb wanted behavior reports.”
“Explain.”
“He needed Lily to appear unstable.”
“For custody?”
“Yes.”
“Who would seek custody?”
“At first, Eric.”
“He isn’t her father.”
“I knew.”
Eric had been bait.
A fake DNA report could create enough legal chaos to remove me temporarily.
Then BrightPath intended to introduce another claimant.
“Who?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“Sarah’s sister.”
I stared.
“Sarah didn’t have a sister.”
“I know.”
“Then who?”
“A woman Caleb hired.”
Harper’s jaw tightened.
The plan was enormous.
Create allegations against me.
Use Lily’s hunger and emotional distress as evidence of neglect.
Introduce fake paternity.
Then produce a fake maternal relative requesting emergency guardianship.
Once Lily was under court-controlled custody, BrightPath would attempt access to her trust for “care expenses.”
Rebecca shook her head.
“It’s insane.”
Vanessa looked at her.
“They’ve done versions of it before.”
“How many?”
“I don’t know.”
Harper asked, “Where is Caleb?”
“I told you, I don’t know.”
“Then how were you communicating?”
“Encrypted messages.”
“Can you contact him?”
Vanessa hesitated.
“Yes.”
A controlled message was arranged.
Vanessa wrote:
Daniel found the recordings. Police have Mason’s phone.
Caleb replied fourteen minutes later.
Did you get the girl out?
Vanessa:
No.
Caleb:
Then fix it.
Harper typed the next response.
How?
Caleb answered:
Use the allergy.
I stared at the screen.
“What allergy?”
Vanessa went white.
“What?”
I grabbed the table.
“What allergy?”
“She has a peanut allergy.”
“Yes.”
“Caleb knows.”
My stomach dropped.
Lily’s allergy could become life-threatening.
Harper immediately ordered officers to alert the school and everyone caring for her.
Then another message arrived.
Caleb:
You wanted Daniel desperate. Make him desperate.
Vanessa began shaking.
“I never agreed to hurt her like that.”
I turned on her.
“You already hurt her.”
“I know.”
“You starved her.”
“I know!”
She started crying.
“But I never wanted Lily dead.”
Harper said coldly, “Help us find Caleb.”
Vanessa gave them one location.
An abandoned BrightPath office outside town.
Police raided it.
Empty.
But inside they found surveillance photographs.
My house.
Lily’s school.
Mason’s grandmother.
And one photograph taken that morning.
Lily and me leaving school together.
Caleb had been close.
Then officers discovered a wall calendar.
Tomorrow’s date was circled.
Beside it:
L — SCHOOL FIELD DAY.
I stared at Harper.
May you like
Lily’s field day was tomorrow.
Caleb had marked it.
