Chapter 6: The Moment She Almost Won
Vanessa's attorney arrived forty minutes later.
His name was Garrett, and he was the kind of man who entered rooms like he owned the square footage.
He set his briefcase on the dining table without asking, scanned the officers, scanned Ruiz, and went directly to Vanessa.
They spoke in low voices near the window for three minutes.
Then Garrett turned to face the room.
"My client is prepared to cooperate fully with any legitimate inquiry," he said.
"However, we have significant concerns about the chain of custody of the alleged recordings, the legality of the surveillance equipment on this property, and the circumstances under which the statement from Mr.
Aldaine was obtained." He looked at Ruiz.
"We'll be filing a motion to suppress before end of business today."
Ruiz looked up from his notes.
"That's your right."
"Furthermore," Garrett continued, "my client has documentation showing that the cameras installed in this property were done so without the knowledge or consent of all residents.
Ms.
Vanessa Cole has visited this property regularly for the past two years as a guest and occasional family liaison.
She had a reasonable expectation of privacy."
Elena felt Mrs.
Howard shift beside her.
"She is not family," Mrs.
Howard said.
"That," Garrett said, "is a matter currently under legal dispute, given the status of her marriage to your son." He opened his briefcase.
"We also have an affidavit from Curtis Aldaine, signed this afternoon, clarifying that any funds transferred between himself and my client were for legitimate personal security consulting.
He states clearly that no plan to harm anyone was ever discussed."
He set the affidavit on the table.
Nobody moved to pick it up.
Elena looked at Vanessa.
Vanessa was watching her — not with triumph, not with fear.
With patience.
The patience of someone who had prepared for this too.
"You planned for Curtis to flip," Elena said.
Vanessa said nothing.
"You knew that if things went wrong today, you'd need him to change his story.
So you had the affidavit ready before you even walked through the door."
Still nothing.
"That means you came here today knowing you might get caught," Elena said.
"And you came anyway.
Because the marriage revelation was worth the risk.
If you could destabilize my legal standing, the rest didn't matter.
You'd deal with the crjminal side later."
Garrett cleared his throat.
"Ms.
—"
"Elena Howard," she said.
She said it clearly.
She had not used the name out loud since the morning.
"My name is Elena Howard."
Vanessa's chin lifted a degree.
"For now," she said.
It was the first thing she'd said in ten minutes.
Her voice was quiet.
Almost gentle.
"Enjoy it while it's still yours."
Daniel moved.
Not toward Vanessa.
Toward Elena.
He stood beside her, close enough that their arms touched.
"Garrett," he said.
"I need you to listen carefully.
Whatever Vanessa is paying you, I'll double it.
To represent Elena.
Starting now."
Garrett blinked.
"I — that's a conflict of —"
"Then find her someone better and bill me for it." Daniel's voice didn't waver.
"Tonight."
Vanessa looked at Daniel the way you look at something you thought you had already broken.
"You're choosing her," she said.
"I chose her the day I married her," he said.
"I should have made sure that was legal first.
That's on me.
But everything you've done since — that's on you."
Garrett closed his briefcase.
"Vanessa," he said quietly.
"I need to advise you —"
"Don't." She cut him off.
Her composure was still intact.
Barely.
"Don't advise me in front of them."
She looked at Elena one more time.
And in that look was something Elena hadn't expected to see: not hatred, not calculation, but something that might have been, a long time ago, grief.
Then Vanessa turned to Ruiz.
"I'll come to the station voluntarily," she said.
"Tomorrow morning.
Nine o'clock.
With counsel."
"Tonight," Ruiz said.
"With counsel.
We have questions that can't wait."
Vanessa picked up her bag.
At the door, she stopped.
She didn't turn around.
But her voice carried back into the room.
"Elena.
You think you've won something today." A pause.
"Ask Daniel what's in the safe in his study.
The one behind the painting.
Ask him what he's been keeping there for the last three years." Another pause.
"Then tell me who the real enemy is."
The front door opened.
The front door closed.
May you like
Elena looked at Daniel.
His face told her everything before he said a word.
