Chapter 4
Olivia refused to meet at the shelter.
Instead, she chose a small coffee shop twenty minutes outside town.
I arrived with Daniel.
Detective Brooks knew about the meeting and had asked us not to examine or alter any evidence Olivia brought.
Olivia was already sitting in a corner booth.
She looked nervous.
Her hands were wrapped around a cup of untouched tea.
When she saw me, her eyes filled.
“Marcus.”
I recognized her immediately.
She had attended Rachel's funeral.
She had hugged Lily.
She had told me Rachel was one of the bravest women she'd ever known.
I sat across from her.
“Thank you for coming.”
She nodded.
“I'm sorry I waited so long.”
“What happened?”
She looked down.
“Rachel discovered something at the shelter.”
“I found her emails.”
Olivia looked startled.
“Then you know about the money.”
“Some of it.”
She took a breath.
“Rachel believed donations meant for children were being redirected.”
My jaw tightened.
“By Patricia?”
“Rachel suspected Patricia and someone helping her.”
“Vanessa?”
Olivia hesitated.
“She didn't say for certain.”
I leaned forward.
“Tell me everything.”
Olivia explained that Rachel had been assigned to review fundraising expenses after several donors complained about missing acknowledgments.
The records didn't match.
Large payments had been sent to outside companies.
Some appeared to have no supporting contracts.
Rachel requested an independent audit.
Patricia opposed it.
Vanessa accused Rachel of damaging the shelter's reputation.
Then Rachel began receiving threatening messages.
I felt my stomach turn.
“What kind of threats?”
“Anonymous emails. Warnings to stop digging.”
“Did she report them?”
“She planned to.”
Olivia reached into her handbag.
She removed a small plastic envelope.
Inside was a flash drive.
“Rachel gave me this two days before she died.”
I stared.
“She said it contained copies of important documents.”
“Why didn't you give it to the police?”
Olivia began crying.
“Because Patricia told me Rachel had been stealing money herself.”
I froze.
“What?”
“She said Rachel was about to be exposed.”
I shook my head.
“Rachel would never steal from those children.”
“I know that now.”
“Why did you believe Patricia?”
“She was the treasurer. She had documents. She said the board had proof.”
Olivia covered her face.
“I was scared of losing my job. And after Rachel died, I didn't know what to believe.”
I felt anger rising.
But I forced myself to breathe.
“Did you ever open the drive?”
“Once.”
“What did you see?”
“Bank records. Emails. A recording.”
“A recording?”
She nodded.
“I heard Rachel arguing with someone.”
“Who?”
“I couldn't identify the voice.”
I looked at Daniel.
He was staring at the flash drive.
“Has anyone else seen it?”
Olivia shook her head.
“No.”
“Then we'll give it directly to Detective Brooks.”
Olivia nodded.
We arranged to meet the detective at the police station that afternoon.
Before leaving, Olivia grabbed my hand.
“Marcus, there's something else.”
I stopped.
“Rachel told me she had discovered a connection between Patricia and an old insurance company.”
I frowned.
“What insurance company?”
“She didn't say.”
“Why would that matter?”
Olivia looked frightened.
“Because Rachel said someone had been using the shelter to move money.”
My skin went cold.
“And she thought the insurance company was involved?”
“She said the same names kept appearing.”
I thanked her.
Then I drove straight to the police station.
Detective Brooks accepted the flash drive, documented where it came from, and arranged for its contents to be examined.
She warned me that we might not receive immediate answers.
But before I left, she showed me something from Rachel's original file.
A photograph.
Rachel's belongings had been inventoried after her death.
Her handbag.
Her phone.
Her wedding ring.
But her silver necklace was missing.
I pointed at the description.
“That's the necklace Vanessa had.”
Angela studied my face.
“Maybe.”
I swallowed.
“It had a dark blue pendant.”
“I remember.”
“Why wasn't it found?”
“We don't know.”
She turned a page.
“There was also an unexplained visitor logged at the shelter shortly before Rachel collapsed.”
“Who?”
“The entry was signed with initials.”
“What initials?”
“V.C.”
My heart seemed to stop.
Vanessa Cole.
I looked at the detective.
“Did you investigate?”
“At the time, the visitor log wasn't considered evidence of wrongdoing.”
“But now?”
“Now it's relevant enough to review.”
I left the station feeling numb.
That evening, I sat beside Lily on the couch.
She was coloring a picture of our family.
Me.
Her.
Rachel.
And our dog, Bruno.
I watched her carefully.
“Sweetheart, can I ask you something?”
She nodded.
“Did Vanessa ever tell you not to talk about Mommy?”
Her crayon stopped.
“Yes.”
I felt my chest tighten.
“When?”
“Lots of times.”
“What did she say?”
Lily looked down.
“She said talking about Mommy made you sad.”
I closed my eyes.
“Did she say anything else?”
“She told me I should call her Mommy when you got married.”
My throat burned.
“Did you want to?”
Lily shook her head.
“No.”
“Did you tell her?”
She nodded.
“What happened?”
“She got mad.”
I pulled her onto my lap.
“Baby, nobody can replace your mother.”
She buried her face against my chest.
“I know.”
“And you never have to call anyone Mommy unless you want to.”
She nodded.
Then she whispered, “Daddy, is Vanessa coming back?”
“No.”
“Promise?”
I kissed her forehead.
“I promise.”
She hugged me tighter.
For several minutes, we sat without speaking.
Then my phone buzzed.
Detective Brooks.
I answered immediately.
“Marcus, we examined the first files on the drive.”
My heart raced.
“What did you find?”
“Several financial documents appear consistent with Rachel's concerns.”
I closed my eyes.
“And the recording?”
She hesitated.
“Marcus, there's something you need to prepare yourself for.”
I stood.
“What?”
“The recording includes Rachel confronting Vanessa.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
May you like
Angela continued.
“And Vanessa says something that changes the timeline of your relationship completely.”
