Chapter 7: The Woman Who Stole My Wife's Identity
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Agent Brooks held her phone toward Vanessa, displaying the security photograph from the bank. The woman in the image wore dark sunglasses and a charcoal coat, but the silver bracelet on her wrist caught the light.
I knew that bracelet.
I had bought it for Vanessa on our first anniversary, after she told me she had never owned anything that reminded her of being loved.
Now it was evidence.
Vanessa stared at the photograph, then slowly lifted her eyes toward the agent.
“That proves nothing.””
Brooks slipped the phone into her pocket.
“It proves someone wearing your bracelet accessed a safety deposit box registered to Alicia Cole.””
“Lots of people own silver bracelets.””
“Not many have your initials engraved inside them.””
Vanessa's mouth tightened.
I looked at her.
“Why did you go to that bank?””
She gave me a wounded expression.
“Daniel, you can't seriously believe this ridiculous accusation.””
“Answer the question.””
“I went there because your wife has been hiding stolen property.””
Alicia stepped forward.
“You don't even know what's inside that box.””
Vanessa turned toward her.
“I know exactly what's inside.””
The words escaped too quickly.
Everyone heard them.
Agent Brooks took a step closer.
“Then perhaps you can explain how you know that.””
Vanessa's eyes darted toward her father.
Richard stood near the staircase, his shoulders rigid, his face revealing nothing. But when Vanessa looked at him, he gave the smallest shake of his head.
It was a warning.
I had seen Richard use that expression during business negotiations. It meant someone had said too much.
Vanessa ignored him.
“Fine,” she said.
“I accessed the box. I had a legal reason to do so.””
“What reason?”” Brooks asked.
“I'm Alicia's representative.””
Alicia laughed in disbelief.
“You are nothing of mine.””
Vanessa reached into her handbag and pulled out a folded document.
“Actually, I am.””
She handed it to Brooks.
The agent read the first page, then the second. Her expression became increasingly serious.
“What is this?”” I demanded.
Brooks looked at me.
“It's a power of attorney authorizing Vanessa Mercer to access certain financial records on behalf of Alicia Cole.””
Alicia stared at the paper.
“I never signed that.””
Vanessa folded her arms.
“You did.””
“No.””
“You signed it three years ago.””
Alicia shook her head violently.
“I was locked in a room. I didn't sign anything.””
Vanessa's expression hardened.
“Then perhaps you should explain why your signature is on the document.””
Alicia reached for the paper, but Brooks moved it out of reach.
“Please don't touch the evidence.””
I turned toward Vanessa.
“Who prepared it?””
“My attorney.””
“Name?””
She hesitated.
“Arthur Bell.””
Richard suddenly spoke.
“Vanessa, stop.””
She spun toward him.
“Why? You've spent three years telling me that I had to protect the family. You told me everything would be fine once Daniel and I were married.””
Richard's face darkened.
“Not another word.””
“No!”” Her voice cracked.
“I'm done taking orders from you!””
The room fell silent.
Vanessa was breathing hard, her wedding dress crumpled beneath her coat.
“You promised me,” she continued.
“You said the marriage would settle the business problems. You said Daniel would sign the merger documents, and everything would become legally protected.””
I stared at her.
“You were going to marry me to get control of my company.””
She looked at me, tears gathering in her eyes.
“I loved you.””
“Then why did you tell Maya that I would send her away?””
Vanessa's expression flickered.
“Because she was making everything difficult.””
“She is eight years old!””
“She was going to ruin everything!””
Her scream startled even her.
Maya pressed herself against Alicia.
Vanessa looked at the child, then at me.
For a moment, she seemed to realize that every excuse she had offered was making her look worse.
She lowered her voice.
“Daniel, please. We can still work this out. We were supposed to be married today.
We could have a family. We could have everything we wanted.””
I stared at the woman who had promised to love my daughter.
“You destroyed her dress. You hit her. You taught her to be afraid of you.””
“I lost my temper.””
“You told her that her mother didn't love her.””
Vanessa's eyes filled with tears.
“I was trying to make her understand that Alicia wasn't coming back.””
“But Alicia did come back.””
“And look what happened!””
Her voice rose again.
“Everything fell apart! The company, the merger, my future. All because she couldn't stay gone!””
Alicia flinched.
I moved closer to Vanessa.
“Say that again.””
Vanessa swallowed.
Then, in a small, bitter voice, she said, “You have no idea what it cost me to keep your wife out of your life.””
Richard closed his eyes.
Agent Brooks immediately stepped between Vanessa and me.
“Ms. Mercer, you're coming with us.””
Vanessa looked shocked.
“You can't arrest me for having a document.””
“No one has said you're under arrest yet. But you will accompany us for questioning.””
She turned toward me.
“Daniel, tell them this is a misunderstanding.””
I said nothing.
Her face twisted.
“You owe me that much!””
“I owe you nothing.””
She stared at me for another second, then reached into her handbag.
Brooks reacted immediately.
“Keep your hands where I can see them!””
Vanessa froze.
Slowly, she withdrew a small black phone.
“I wasn't reaching for a weapon.””
She held up the screen.
“I'm trying to show you something.””
The phone contained a series of messages.
Most were brief, coded exchanges between Vanessa and a contact saved as *P. Lawson*.
One message, dated three years earlier, read:
The woman has been moved. The child doesn't know anything.
Another read:
Keep her isolated until the documents are signed.
Alicia made a strangled sound.
“Peter.””
I looked at her.
“The man from the car?””
She nodded.
“He was supposed to drive me to the police.””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“He told me he was helping me escape. Instead, he took me to a property outside the city. Richard was waiting there.””
Richard stepped forward.
“I never ordered anyone to imprison you.””
Alicia rounded on him.
“You ordered Peter to keep me quiet!””
“I paid him to recover the documents!””
“And what did you expect him to do when I refused?””
Richard had no answer.
Agent Brooks took the phone from Vanessa.
“These messages will be examined.””
Vanessa suddenly lunged toward the agent.
“Give that back!””
Brooks stepped away.
“That's enough.””
Another agent took Vanessa by the arm.
She struggled.
“You don't understand! Those messages are being taken out of context!””
The agent guided her toward the front door.
Vanessa twisted around to face me.
“Daniel! You can't let them do this!””
I watched her being led away.
For the first time, she looked genuinely powerless.
But as she crossed the threshold, she stopped.
Her gaze shifted to Maya.
The expression on her face changed.
It wasn't anger anymore.
It was something colder.
“You should ask your daughter what she saw the night her mother disappeared,” Vanessa said.
Alicia went rigid.
I stepped toward Vanessa.
“What does that mean?””
Vanessa smiled faintly.
“Ask her about the red car.””
Then the agents took her outside.
The front door closed.
For a moment, the only sound in the house was Maya's quiet breathing.
I turned toward Alicia.
“What red car?””
She didn't answer.
I knelt in front of Maya.
“Sweetheart, do you remember a red car from the night Mommy disappeared?””
Maya stared at me.
Her lips trembled.
Then she nodded.
I felt the blood drain from my face.
“What do you remember?””
She looked at her mother.
Alicia covered her mouth.
Maya began to cry.
“I saw Mommy in the red car,” she whispered.
“But Daddy, there's something I never told you.””
I took her hands.
“What is it, baby?””
May you like
She swallowed hard.
“The woman driving it looked exactly like Mommy.””
