Chapter 9 - The Assistant Who Disappeared First
Natalie Pierce had worked for Andrew for seven years.
She knew his schedules, passwords, board members, travel patterns, and enough private family information to imitate intimacy without actually belonging to the family.
Victoria had trusted her completely.
That suddenly felt dangerous.
Marcus checked the guest list.
Natalie had arrived at 6:12.
She had never formally checked out.
Her car remained in the driveway.
Yet nobody could find her.
Andrew called her.
The phone rang from inside the mansion.
Everyone heard it.
Faint.
Electronic.
Somewhere behind the study wall.
Marcus followed the sound to a built-in bookcase.
Andrew pulled several books aside.
Natalie’s phone sat behind them.
Beside it was Evelyn’s missing letter.
Victoria reached for it.
Andrew stopped her gently.
“Police will need fingerprints.”
Victoria stared at him.
“That letter belongs to me.”
“I know.”
For once, she listened.
Marcus photographed it in place.
Then he carefully unfolded it with gloves and held it so Victoria could read without touching.
Evelyn’s handwriting made Victoria’s chest ache.
The letter confirmed what Andrew had said.
Caroline was in debt.
Evelyn regretted naming her as successor trustee.
She intended to amend the trust again.
But there was another paragraph Andrew had never mentioned.
Victoria read it twice.
Then looked at him.
“You left this out.”
Andrew’s face tightened.
The paragraph concerned Natalie.
Evelyn wrote that Natalie had been asking strange questions about Andrew’s marriage and Lily’s inheritance.
Andrew had dismissed the concern at the time.
Victoria stared at him.
“You knew Mom was suspicious of Natalie?”
“I knew she disliked how involved Natalie was.”
“That isn’t what this says.”
“I didn’t think it meant anything.”
Caroline laughed bitterly.
“So your secrets are mistakes, and mine are crimes?”
Andrew turned.
“I admitted what I did.”
“After you got caught.”
Victoria stepped between them again.
“This is exactly what somebody wants.”
They stopped.
Victoria continued.
“Every piece of information tonight is designed to make one of us accuse another.”
Andrew’s custody draft.
Caroline’s fake recording.
Natalie’s access.
Victoria’s silver dress.
Real secrets wrapped inside manufactured evidence.
Elena nodded slowly.
“That’s a common manipulation strategy.”
Caroline looked at her.
“Common?”
“Use truths people are ashamed of. They become easier to weaponize because the targets hide them themselves.”
Victoria thought about the last six months.
Every private weakness in their family had somehow become ammunition.
Who had access to all of it?
Natalie certainly had access to Andrew.
Caroline had access to Victoria and Lily.
But neither alone seemed to know everything.
Unless they were working together.
Or unless someone else had been collecting information from both sides.
Andrew suddenly looked at Evelyn’s letter again.
“The date.”
Victoria followed his finger.
March 14.
Four days before Evelyn’s stroke.
“What about it?”
“Natalie was in Seattle that week.”
“Are you sure?”
“I was there with her for an acquisition meeting.”
Caroline frowned.
“So?”
“So if Natalie was asking Evelyn questions in person, it couldn’t have happened that week.”
Victoria reread the wording.
Evelyn hadn’t said the questions were asked that week.
Only that she had become concerned recently.
Not enough.
Marcus received a message from the gate.
“Police are here.”
Andrew nodded.
“Let them in.”
Then another security guard rushed into the study.
“Sir, we found Ms. Pierce.”
Victoria’s stomach tightened.
“Where?”
“In the greenhouse.”
“Is she hurt?”
The guard looked shaken.
“She’s unconscious.”
They found Natalie on the tile floor beside a shattered flowerpot.
Paramedics rushed in behind police.
A bruise marked her temple.
Her sleeveless silver gown was torn at the shoulder.
Victoria looked at Elena.
Same dress description.
Andrew noticed too.
If Natalie had attacked Elena, how had Natalie ended up unconscious?
Then a paramedic rolled Natalie slightly to examine her.
Something fell from beneath her hand.
A child’s pink bracelet.
Lily’s bracelet.
Victoria recognized it instantly.
She had fastened it around her daughter’s wrist before the gala.
“Where is Lily?” Victoria whispered.
Andrew looked around.
The nanny wasn’t there.
Neither was Lily.
Victoria ran.
“LILY!”
No answer.
She raced toward the house.
Andrew followed.
Then his phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered on speaker.
May you like
A distorted voice said only seven words.
“Bring Evelyn’s letter, or lose your daughter.”
