Chapter 9 - The Housekeeper
Adrian called Maria.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
He called security.
The guard on duty sounded confused.
"Mr. Cole, Maria left ten minutes ago."
"With who?"
"She said you sent a driver."
"I did not."
Adrian stood so fast the table shook.
Rachel grabbed Sophie.
Daniel called Detective Ortiz.
Then Maria's number called back.
Adrian answered.
"Maria?"
A man spoke.
"Bring the flash drive."
Adrian's blood went cold.
"Let me hear her."
A muffled struggle.
Then Maria's voice:
"Don't give them anything!"
The line cut.
Sophie started crying.
Adrian crouched.
"Listen to me. Maria is going to be okay."
"Promise?"
He hesitated.
Then told the truth.
"I promise I'm going to do everything I can."
Detective Ortiz arrived with two officers.
Within twenty minutes, they traced Maria's phone to the industrial district.
Warehouse 14.
Rachel stared at the address.
"That's in Claire's photographs."
Adrian looked at Daniel.
"The same warehouse?"
He nodded.
Ortiz held up a hand.
"Nobody goes there except police."
Adrian hated it, but he agreed.
Sophie stayed with Rachel at a secure hotel.
Three hours later, Ortiz called.
"We found Maria."
Adrian's knees nearly gave out.
"Alive?"
"Yes. Shaken. No major injuries."
"And whoever took her?"
"Gone."
"Anything else?"
A pause.
"You should come down."
The warehouse smelled like oil and damp concrete.
Maria sat in an ambulance, wrapped in a blanket.
She reached for Adrian.
"I'm sorry."
"No. Don't apologize."
"I knew more than I told you."
Adrian sat beside her.
"Tell me now."
Maria looked toward the warehouse.
"Mrs. Claire asked me to watch Vanessa."
"Why?"
"Because Vanessa was copying keys."
"To the house?"
"To everything."
Maria swallowed.
"She copied your office key, the nursery key, the garage key."
Adrian's skin prickled.
"The garage."
Maria nodded.
"The night before Mrs. Claire died, I saw Vanessa leave the garage with Graham."
Adrian closed his eyes.
Ortiz walked over holding an evidence bag.
Inside was a small silver device.
"What is that?"
"A diagnostic bypass tool," Ortiz said. "For certain vehicle systems."
Adrian stared.
"Where did you find it?"
"In a locker."
"Whose locker?"
Ortiz handed him a photograph of the label.
V. ROWE.
Vanessa.
Then Maria whispered:
"There's something else."
Adrian turned.
"Mrs. Claire's car didn't fail for the first time the day she died."
He remembered the video.
If my car fails again...
May you like
Maria looked him in the eye.
"Someone tried it two weeks earlier."
