Chapter 9 - THE WOMAN THEY CALLED CRAZYVivian attacked harder.
She hired experts.
She hired public relations firms.
She appeared on television wearing white and speaking softly.
“I love my son,” she said.
“I only wanted to protect my family.”
Evelyn watched the interview.
Every word was carefully chosen.
Vivian never denied hitting her.
She called it “a moment of emotional confusion.”
Then she smiled sadly.
“I believe Evelyn is suffering from severe pregnancy-related instability.”
Evelyn turned off the television.
Marcus entered.
“Don't watch her.”
“She is trying to destroy me.”
“She is trying to make people feel sorry for her.”
“It’s working.”
Marcus placed a box on the table.
Inside were financial records.
“We found the transfers.”
Evelyn opened the first file.
The money had been moving for years.
Vivian had created shell companies.
She had bought properties under fake names.
She had secretly transferred ownership of several Whitmore subsidiaries.
Then Evelyn found something.
A payment made to a private investigator.
The date was two months before her mother died.
Evelyn froze.
“What is this?”
Marcus read the file.
The investigator had been hired to follow Claire Hart.
Evelyn's mother.
The payments continued for months.
Then stopped three days before Claire's death.
Evelyn felt sick.
“Vivian was watching my mother.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Marcus looked at the next document.
Because Claire had discovered Vivian was stealing from the company.
Evelyn stared at the page.
Then another document fell from the box.
A handwritten note.
Claire knows.
Below it:
Make sure she never reaches Nathaniel.
Evelyn's hands went cold.
“Who wrote this?”
Marcus looked at the handwriting.
“Vivian.”
Before they could say more, the front door opened.
Grant entered.
His face was pale.
“I know where the second door is.”
Evelyn looked up.
“Where?”
“In the nursery.”
They drove to the mansion that night.
The house was dark.
Empty.
Vivian was gone.
Grant unlocked the nursery.
The room looked exactly as Evelyn remembered.
Pink walls.
White curtains.
A crib that had never been used.
Grant touched the wall.
“There.”
A faint line appeared beneath the wallpaper.
Marcus pulled away the panel.
Behind it was a narrow door.
Inside was a safe.
Evelyn stared.
Her mother's initials were carved into the metal.
C.H.
Marcus opened it.
Inside lay a single videotape.
May you like
And a note.
Play this only when you are ready to know why I left you.
