Chapter 9
We found the first connection through Laura’s hospital badge.
It was in a memory box I had not opened since the funeral.
I brought the box to the safe house because I needed Sophie to have pieces of her mother near her.
Cards.
Photos.
A scarf that still faintly smelled like lavender.
And the badge.
On the back, taped beneath the plastic sleeve, was a tiny folded note.
I almost missed it.
Laura’s handwriting.
Ethan, if I do not get to say this, look at V.H. and the woman from daycare. Sophie is not safe.
V.H.
Vanessa Hale.
She had used my last name after marriage.
Before that, Vanessa Rhodes.
Before that, Vanessa Marsh.
But Laura had written V.H. before I ever met Vanessa.
Aaron stared at the note.
“Could be another person.”
“It isn’t.”
Dr. Patel read it twice.
“She must have known the name from daycare records.”
Claire began pulling old volunteer lists.
At 9:12 p.m., she called.
“I found her.”
“Vanessa?”
“No. Vivian Hart.”
V.H.
A volunteer at Sophie’s daycare fundraiser.
Photo attached.
I opened it.
There she was.
Vanessa.
Different hair color.
Different glasses.
Same eyes.
She had stood three feet from Laura at a children’s auction table.
Three months before the crash.
My knees nearly gave out.
“She knew my wife.”
Claire’s voice softened.
“Yes.”
“She hunted us.”
Nobody argued.
The next day, police reopened Laura’s crash investigation officially.
Vanessa was questioned.
She denied everything.
Then Claire showed the volunteer photo.
Vanessa smiled.
“I meet many people.”
Detective Aaron said, “You used an alias.”
She leaned back.
“Women use nicknames.”
“You bought sedatives near Laura’s hospital.”
“I had insomnia.”
“You contacted Sophie’s daycare.”
“I love children.”
That sentence made my skin crawl.
When Aaron told me later, Sophie was drawing at the table.
She looked up.
“Is Vanessa lying again?”
“Yes,” I said.
Sophie pressed her crayon harder.
“Can judges tell?”
“Sometimes they need help.”
She nodded.
“Then I’ll help.”
“No, sweetheart.”
Her eyes filled.
“She hurt Mommy too, didn’t she?”
May you like
I froze.
Sophie whispered, “I remember her voice.”
