Chapter 8 - The Woman He Left Behind

Vanessa arrived at Beacon Crest under police escort the next morning.

She was not handcuffed.

She had agreed to answer questions voluntarily.

The confidence she had displayed in the NICU was gone.

Her makeup had been washed away.

She wore borrowed hospital clothes because investigators had collected her dress and handbag as evidence.

She stood outside my room for several minutes before entering.

“I need to speak with you.”

I looked at Grandfather.

He remained near the window.

Margaret activated a recorder with Vanessa’s permission.

Vanessa sat across from my bed.

“Grant told me you knew about us.”

“I did not.”

“He said your marriage was finished.”

“It was not.”

“He said the twins weren’t his.”

My hand tightened around the blanket.

“He attended the fertility appointments.”

“I know that now.”

She lowered her eyes.

“He told me you had trapped him.”

“And you believed him?”

“I wanted to.”

Her honesty did not earn forgiveness.

It did, however, sound real.

Vanessa placed both hands over her stomach.

“Grant took the company money.”

“He also took your passport.”

“He said we were leaving together.”

Tears filled her eyes.

“Then he disappeared while I was sleeping.”

Margaret leaned forward.

“Where would he go?”

Vanessa hesitated.

“If I tell you, I need protection.”

“From Grant?”

“From Calvin.”

Grandfather studied her.

“Why?”

“Because Calvin was never just helping Grant.”

Vanessa’s fingers trembled.

“He controls a group of shell companies that supplied the expired parts.”

“Grant knew?”

“He found out six months ago.”

“What did he do?”

“He demanded half.”

Margaret’s expression hardened.

“Extortion.”

Vanessa nodded.

“Grant recorded their meetings as insurance.”

I looked toward the forensics report.

“That explains the drive.”

Vanessa’s eyes widened.

“You found it?”

“You wore it into the NICU.”

Her hand moved instinctively toward the coat she no longer had.

Grant must have placed the drive there while helping her put it on.

Vanessa closed her eyes.

“There’s another file.”

“Where?”

“On the drive.”

“The team opened everything.”

“No.”

She shook her head.

“There’s a hidden partition.”

“What is inside it?”

Vanessa looked through the glass at Elise.

“The real clinical reports.”

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She swallowed.

“And a list of every patient harmed by the devices.”