Chapter 6 - The Man Who Changed the Report
By morning, Logan had not slept.
Neither had Vanessa.
At seven fifteen, a black sedan stopped outside Mercer House.
Detective Harrison Vale stepped out.
He had retired six months earlier.
He still carried himself like a man accustomed to rooms becoming quieter when he entered.
Vanessa hurried downstairs.
Logan was waiting in the foyer.
Harrison stopped.
“Logan.”
“You came quickly.”
“Vanessa said there was trouble.”
“There is.”
Logan stepped aside.
Marina stood at the far end of the foyer.
Harrison saw her.
His face changed.
Only for half a second.
But Logan caught it.
“So you recognize her too.”
Harrison recovered.
“No.”
“You just did.”
“I was surprised.”
“By what?”
Harrison looked at Marina again.
“She resembles Elena.”
Logan almost laughed.
That was exactly what Vanessa had refused to admit.
“Interesting.”
Vanessa stepped forward.
“Uncle Harrison, Logan has become obsessed with this delusion.”
Harrison lowered his voice.
“We should discuss this privately.”
“No.”
Logan walked closer.
“We discuss it here.”
Nathan entered holding a thick folder.
“The initial Blackwater report.”
Harrison’s jaw tightened.
Nathan placed it on the entry table.
“Two sets of footprints.”
“Blood near the passenger door.”
“A witness who reported seeing a second woman walking away from the scene.”
Harrison looked at Nathan.
“That witness was intoxicated.”
“You removed his statement.”
“It was unreliable.”
“You also removed the second blood sample.”
“Contaminated.”
Nathan raised another page.
“And this?”
Harrison glanced down.
A tow operator had photographed the interior before police removed the vehicle.
In the passenger footwell lay a black silk scarf.
Vanessa owned dozens like it.
Marina suddenly whispered.
“There was a ring.”
Everyone looked at her.
“What?”
Logan asked.
Marina stared at Vanessa.
“You lost your ring.”
Vanessa went rigid.
Marina’s memory continued.
Vanessa striking the dashboard.
A diamond ring flying from her hand.
Rolling beneath the passenger seat.
Elena reaching for the door.
Vanessa grabbing her coat.
Then headlights.
Impact.
Marina pointed at Vanessa’s left hand.
“You told me Logan was having an affair.”
Vanessa shook her head.
“No.”
“You wanted me angry.”
“This is nonsense.”
“You told me to leave him.”
“No.”
“You said if I disappeared, Noah would eventually forget me.”
Vanessa backed away.
Harrison stepped between them.
“That’s enough.”
Logan looked at him.
“Why are you protecting her?”
“I’m protecting everyone from an unstable woman.”
Marina flinched.
Noah appeared at the top of the staircase with a nanny.
He saw Harrison.
The child instantly began crying.
“No.”
Logan looked upward.
Harrison did too.
Noah pointed directly at him.
“Bad man.”
Silence.
Harrison’s face drained.
Logan slowly turned.
“My son knows you.”
Harrison said nothing.
Noah hid behind the nanny.
Then he spoke again.
“Bad man locked Mommy.”
May you like
Marina stopped breathing.
And Harrison Vale ran.
