Chapter 13 - The Lake House Vault
The lake house smelled like cedar and old rain.
Jason had not been there since his father's funeral.
"I hate this place," Mia said.
Rachel looked at her. "You could've stayed with Castillo."
"And miss the part where my family gets worse? Never."
A detective waited outside while Jason led them into David's study.
The brass key from the hidden drawer fit a floor safe beneath the desk.
Inside were three folders and a flash drive.
Jason opened the first.
Bank records.
The second contained board emails.
The third was labeled V.H.
Rachel felt cold before Jason even opened it.
Photographs showed Vanessa meeting executives, clinic staff, private investigators.
One photograph showed Gwen Mercer handing Vanessa an envelope outside Rachel's medical office.
Another showed Grant beside Vanessa near the lake house dock.
The timestamp was the night David died.
Mia sat down hard.
"He was here."
Jason's face turned gray.
"Grant lied."
Rachel picked up a document clipped behind the photographs.
It was a draft petition naming Vanessa as temporary guardian of Rachel's unborn child in the event Rachel was declared incapacitated.
Her name had already been typed into the signature block.
A fake signature sat beneath it.
"She signed for me," Rachel whispered.
Jason stared at the page.
Then the house alarm began to scream.
A red light flashed above the door.
The detective outside shouted something.
Jason rushed to the window.
Smoke rose from the side of the house.
"Fire."
Mia grabbed the folders.
Rachel reached for the flash drive.
The study door slammed shut.
Jason pulled the handle.
Locked.
"Jason!"
He threw his shoulder against it.
Nothing.
Smoke slipped under the door.
Rachel's heart hammered.
Mia looked at the window.
"We can break it."
"Second floor," Jason said.
Rachel pressed a hand to her belly.
The baby kicked hard.
Then a speaker in the ceiling crackled.
Vanessa's voice filled the room.
"You were always like your father, Jason."
He looked up.
May you like
Her next words were almost gentle.
"You never knew when to stop digging."
