Chapter 11 - THE WOMAN BEHIND THE PLAN
Victoria looked older than I remembered.
Her silver hair was arranged in a perfect knot.
She wore our mother’s pearl necklace.
The necklace had disappeared after our father’s funeral.
“I always wondered where that went,” I said.
Victoria touched the pearls.
“Your father kept everything that belonged to me.”
“Those belonged to our mother.”
“She promised them to me.”
Daniel stood rigid beside Vanessa.
His hands were not tied.
But the gun pressed beneath his jacket kept him still.
Vanessa’s veil covered part of her face.
She avoided looking at him.
“Let him go.”
Victoria smiled.
“After he signs.”
A document lay open on the altar.
It removed me as trustee due to financial misconduct.
It appointed Daniel as sole trustee.
A second document required Daniel to authorize Victoria as his financial representative.
“You forged his signature before,” I said.
“Why do you need him now?”
“Because the banks became nervous after Charles was arrested.”
“He was careless.”
“Vanessa was careless.”
Vanessa’s jaw tightened.
Victoria noticed.
“Do not look offended.”
“You were hired to marry a lonely man.”
“You could not even accomplish that without throwing a bucket at his sister.”
Daniel finally looked at Vanessa.
“You knew she planned this?”
Vanessa whispered.
“Not at first.”
“When did you know?”
“After the engagement.”
“And you stayed.”
Victoria pushed the gun harder against him.
“She stayed because she wanted the life.”
Vanessa’s eyes filled with tears.
“Stop talking.”
“You should be proud.”
“You almost convinced him.”
Daniel’s face became expressionless.
That frightened Vanessa.
He was no longer pleading for an explanation.
He was seeing her clearly.
Victoria gestured toward me.
“Bring Jonathan’s original letter.”
“I do not have it.”
“Rosa took it.”
“No.”
Victoria’s smile faded.
“She was supposed to bring it here.”
“She disappeared.”
For the first time, Victoria appeared uncertain.
Rosa had deceived both sides.
A movement came from behind the ruined choir loft.
Victoria turned toward the sound.
Daniel reacted instantly.
He grabbed Vanessa and pulled her down.
The gun fired into the wooden altar.
I rushed forward.
Victoria swung the weapon toward me.
Before she could fire again, Rosa stepped from behind the choir loft.
She held Jonathan’s original letter in one hand.
In the other, she held a phone broadcasting the scene live.
“Thousands of people are watching,” Rosa said.
Victoria stared at her.
“You ungrateful woman.”
Rosa’s voice did not shake.
“You threatened my family.”
“You forced me to give you information.”
“But you never owned me.”
Police sirens rose outside.
Victoria grabbed Vanessa by the hair and dragged her upright.
She pressed the gun against Vanessa’s throat.
“Open the back door,” she ordered.
Daniel stepped toward them.
Victoria aimed at him.
Vanessa looked at the man she had betrayed.
May you like
Then she did something none of us expected.
She drove her elbow into Victoria’s ribs.
