Chapter 8: What Happened Before the Ambulance Arrived
Officer Brooks asked me to sit down.
I was already sitting.
Still, I felt as though the floor had disappeared beneath me.
“What hospital?”” I asked again.
She opened a second folder.
“Six months ago, Lily was taken to the emergency department at St. Mary's.””
I frowned.
“What?””
“According to the records, she was brought in after experiencing dizziness and difficulty breathing.””
I stared at her.
“I don't remember that.””
Officer Brooks nodded.
“Her father wasn't listed as the accompanying parent.””
“Who brought her?””
“Your wife.””
I looked toward the door.
“Why didn't Danielle tell me?””
“That's something we need to establish.””
Detective Harris joined us.
He placed a medical document on the table.
“The incident was initially classified as a minor respiratory emergency. Lily was examined, treated, and discharged.””
I read the report.
The date was October 14.
The same date as the photograph in the pink box.
The same day Vanessa had supposedly driven Lily to school.
My throat tightened.
“What happened?””
Detective Harris pointed to a section near the bottom.
“There was a concern about possible exposure to an unidentified substance. The treating physician recommended follow-up testing.””
I looked up.
“Was Lily poisoned?””
“We're not making that determination. The records indicate that the symptoms resolved, but there are questions about the circumstances.””
I stared at the page.
“Who was with her?””
Officer Brooks answered.
“Danielle and Vanessa.””
I closed my eyes.
They had both been there.
Both women.
Both connected to the messages.
Both present when Lily had hidden the old phone.
“Why wasn't I contacted?””
“The hospital record shows that your contact information was available.””
“Did they call me?””
Detective Harris turned the page.
There was an entry.
*Father notified: No.*
I felt my hands curl into fists.
“Why?””
“We don't know.””
I stood.
“I want to see Danielle.””
Officer Brooks shook her head.
“Not yet.””
“She needs to explain this.””
“We're questioning her.””
I looked at the medical report again.
Six months.
Six months of my daughter possibly being frightened, confused, and unwell while I was busy pretending my life was under control.
I thought about the last time I'd seen her before the trip.
Thursday morning.
She'd been sitting at the kitchen table, eating cereal.
I'd kissed the top of her head and told her I'd bring her something from Charleston.
She'd asked for a seashell.
I'd promised.
I hadn't brought one.
I had brought Vanessa a necklace.
A small diamond pendant she'd admired in a jewelry store.
It was still in the hotel receipt folder in my suitcase.
I suddenly wanted to throw up.
At 4:20 p.m., Officer Brooks finally allowed me to see Danielle.
She sat behind a table in a small interview room.
Her cardigan was gone.
Her hair was tied back.
There was a paper cup of water in front of her.
She looked exhausted.
When I entered, she stood.
“Marcus.””
I remained by the door.
“Sit down.””
She looked at me.
Then she slowly lowered herself into the chair.
Officer Brooks stayed near the wall.
I placed the hospital report on the table.
“What happened on October 14?””
Danielle stared at the document.
Her face lost color.
“Where did you get that?””
“Answer me.””
She swallowed.
“Lily had an allergic reaction.””
“To what?””
“I don't know.””
“Vanessa was there.””
Danielle looked up.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
“She came to the house.””
“Why was she in our house?””
Danielle looked toward Officer Brooks.
The officer nodded.
“Mrs. Reed, you need to answer his questions.””
Danielle folded her hands.
“Vanessa said she needed to speak to me.””
“About what?””
“About you.””
I laughed once.
“Of course.””
“She wanted me to stop the affair.””
I stared at her.
“What?””
“She said she was tired of waiting for you to leave. She said she wanted to know whether I was going to fight for our marriage or let you go.””
I looked at the hospital report.
“And Lily?””
“Lily was home.””
“Why wasn't she at school?””
“She wasn't feeling well.””
“Then why did you let Vanessa near her?””
Danielle began crying.
“I didn't know she would hurt her.””
I felt my chest tighten.
“Did she?””
Danielle shook her head.
“I don't know.””
“You don't know?””
“She brought a drink for Lily.””
I stared at her.
“What drink?””
“Some kind of juice. She said it was from a health store.””
I gripped the table.
“Did Lily drink it?””
“Yes.””
“And then?””
“She started coughing. Her face became red. She said her throat hurt.””
I closed my eyes.
“Why didn't you call me?””
“I called 911.””
“That's not what I asked.””
Danielle looked at me.
“I was afraid.””
“Of what?””
“She said if I told you, she'd tell you everything about the affair.””
I stared at her.
“You were afraid I'd find out you knew?””
Danielle nodded.
I felt something cold settle inside me.
“You let me believe you didn't know.””
“I wanted to save our family.””
“You let me believe I was coming home to a normal marriage.””
“I thought I could fix things.””
“And Lily?””
Danielle began sobbing.
“I thought she'd be okay.””
I stood.
“Did Vanessa know about Lily's medical emergency on Friday?””
Danielle shook her head.
“She wasn't supposed to be there.””
“But she was.””
Danielle looked up.
“What?””
“There's a photograph. Friday afternoon. Vanessa was standing behind Lily in our kitchen.””
Danielle's face changed.
Then she whispered:
“She came to get the phone.””
I stared at her.
“You knew?””
“I heard them arguing.””
“Who?””
“Vanessa and Daniel.””
My stomach tightened.
“What were they arguing about?””
Danielle pressed her hands against her face.
“Lily had found the recordings. She knew someone was using your old phone. She wanted to show me.””
I felt my throat close.
“Did she?””
Danielle nodded.
“She came to me that morning.””
“What did she say?””
“She said Vanessa had been in her bedroom. She said Vanessa wanted the phone.””
“Why didn't you call the police?””
Danielle looked at me.
“Because I thought Vanessa would expose everything.””
I stared at her.
“And what happened Friday afternoon?””
Danielle's voice dropped.
“Vanessa came back.””
“Why?””
“She said she wanted to retrieve the original recording.””
“Did you let her in?””
Danielle nodded.
I closed my eyes.
“Where were you?””
“In the kitchen.””
“Where was Lily?””
“Upstairs.””
“Then why was she in the kitchen at 2:06?””
Danielle looked away.
“Because she came down.””
I leaned forward.
“What happened next?””
Danielle began shaking.
“Vanessa asked for the phone. Lily said she didn't know where it was. Then Vanessa started yelling.””
“What did she say?””
“She told Lily to stop lying.””
I gripped the edge of the table.
“Then?””
“Lily started crying. She said she wanted her daddy.””
Danielle covered her mouth.
I could barely hear her next words.
“Vanessa told her that you didn't want to hear from her.””
My vision blurred.
“What did you do?””
“I told Vanessa to stop.””
“And?””
“She turned toward me and said I needed to remember our agreement.””
I felt sick.
“What agreement?””
Danielle looked up.
“The one in the email.””
I stepped backward.
“So you were both involved.””
“Yes.””
“Both of you?””
She nodded.
I stared at her.
“Then why did Lily send you that message at 2:13?””
Danielle started crying harder.
“Because I wasn't in the kitchen anymore.””
“Where were you?””
“In the hallway.””
“Why?””
“I went upstairs to get my phone.””
I stared at her.
“You left her with Vanessa?””
“I thought Vanessa was leaving.””
“You thought?””
“I didn't know she would—”
“What?””
Danielle couldn't finish.
I slammed my palm against the table.
“What happened to my daughter?””
Danielle flinched.
Then she whispered:
“Vanessa took the glass.””
I froze.
“What glass?””
“The one Lily had been drinking from.””
“Why?””
“She said she wanted to prove Lily was pretending to be sick.””
I felt the room spin.
“Did Lily collapse?””
Danielle nodded.
I gripped the table.
“Then what?””
“I called 911.””
“Did you call me?””
She shook her head.
“Why?””
“I tried.””
“You didn't.””
“I couldn't.””
I stared at her.
She looked directly into my eyes.
“Marcus, I have something to tell you. Something I haven't told the police.””
“What?””
Danielle leaned forward.
Her voice became barely audible.
“When Lily collapsed, Vanessa didn't leave.””
I felt my blood turn cold.
“What did she do?””
“She took the glass.””
“Then?””
“She looked at Lily.””
Danielle's lips trembled.
“And she said, 'Now nobody will believe what she found.''”
I stepped away from the table.
Officer Brooks moved closer.
“Mrs. Reed, are you saying Vanessa deliberately interfered with the emergency response?””
Danielle nodded.
“I don't know what she did to the glass. I don't know what was in it. But I saw her take it.””
Officer Brooks immediately left the room.
I looked at Danielle.
“Why didn't you tell me this when I came home?””
She began crying again.
“Because I was afraid you'd ask what I had done.””
I stared at her.
“What did you do?””
She lowered her head.
“I deleted Lily's final message.””
My heart stopped.
“Why?””
“Because Vanessa told me it would make everything worse.””
I couldn't speak.
Danielle reached across the table.
I stepped away.
“Marcus, please.””
I looked at her hand.
Then at her face.
“You deleted the last message our daughter sent you?””
She nodded.
I turned toward the door.
Behind me, she whispered:
“I thought I was protecting you.””
I stopped.
Then I looked back.
“You weren't protecting me, Danielle.””
My voice broke.
“You were protecting the people who hurt her.””
Officer Brooks intercepted me in the hallway.
“Mr. Reed, we need to discuss Vanessa's whereabouts.””
“What about her?””
“She left her apartment approximately forty minutes ago.””
“Where did she go?””
“We believe she's heading to the airport.””
I looked at her.
“Why?””
Detective Harris approached with a tablet.
“We recovered another deleted conversation from the duplicate phone.””
He showed me a message sent from Vanessa to an unknown contact.
*The husband knows about the agreement. The brother has the original file. I need to leave before they recover the rest.*
A second message followed.
*What about the girl?*
The reply was chilling.
*The girl isn't the problem anymore.*
I felt my knees weaken.
Officer Brooks took the tablet.
“Mr. Reed, we're issuing an alert.””
I stared at the message.
Then I noticed the contact name.
It was a single letter.
*D.*
I looked at Detective Harris.
“Daniel?””
He shook his head.
“We don't believe it's your brother's number.””
“Then whose?””
He turned the tablet toward me.
May you like
The number belonged to a phone registered to a woman named Evelyn Reed.
My mother.
