Chapter 14 - The Photograph Nobody Could ExplainRichard's attorney stopped the second interview before it began.
The photograph changed the investigation anyway.
Its metadata placed the three of them outside the pump house eleven weeks before Maya disappeared.
Richard had claimed he had not visited the property in more than a year.
Grant had claimed he did not know the hidden room remained accessible.
Vanessa had claimed Grant knew about the chamber before she did.
At least one person was telling part of the truth.
Daniel returned to the hospital carrying the photograph in his head.
Maya was drawing.
Not people.
Rooms.
A square room.
A ladder.
A transparent wall.
Daniel sat down.
“You don't have to draw that.”
“I know.”
“Then why?”
“So I remember it right.”
He swallowed.
“Why do you need to remember?”
“Because everybody keeps asking.”
That stopped him.
He took the pencil gently from her hand.
“You don't owe anyone perfect memory.”
Maya looked at him.
“What if Grant says I'm lying?”
“He probably will.”
“What if people believe him?”
“Some might.”
She looked terrified.
Daniel leaned closer.
“The truth doesn't become false because somebody hires an expensive lawyer.”
Maya considered that.
Then pointed toward the photograph Daniel had absentmindedly set on the table.
“What's that?”
He tried to cover it.
Too late.
Maya saw Vanessa.
And Grant.
And Richard.
“I know him.”
Daniel looked at her.
“Richard?”
She shook her head.
“The other man.”
“Grant?”
“No.”
Daniel looked again.
Only three adults appeared.
“Which one?”
Maya pointed toward the far edge of the image.
A reflection in the pump-house window.
Daniel had missed it.
A fourth person stood behind the photographer.
Only part of his body appeared.
Gray suit.
Hand holding a phone.
Maya pointed to the wrist.
“That's the man.”
Daniel's pulse jumped.
“The man who came into the chamber?”
“I think.”
“But you said he wore black pants.”
“He did.”
“Can you see his face?”
“No.”
“Then how—”
“The watch.”
Daniel leaned closer.
Not Grant's rectangular silver watch.
This one was round.
Dark face.
Metal band.
Maya frowned.
“Maybe.”
Daniel did not push.
He called Nora.
Forensics enlarged the reflection.
The image quality was poor, but the watch became clearer.
Not enough to identify a person.
Enough to show Daniel had made an assumption.
The threatening video had shown Grant's watch.
But the man who physically entered Maya's chamber might have been someone else.
Nora arrived.
“This is why witness interviews matter.”
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“I've been trying to force everything into Grant.”
“He can be involved without doing every act.”
“Who took the photograph?”
“Private investigator says Grant hired him originally.”
“Then why did he claim Richard hired him?”
“He says Richard took over payments two months ago.”
Daniel stared at the photo.
“Four people knew about the chamber.”
“At least.”
“Vanessa. Grant. Richard. Whoever is reflected.”
Nora nodded.
Daniel said, “Find the photographer's original series.”
“We are.”
Hours later they obtained thirty-seven photographs from that day.
The photographer had been documenting Vanessa for Grant.
Daniel found that almost funny.
Grant had recruited Vanessa, blackmailed her, and then paid someone to watch whether she remained loyal.
The series showed Vanessa arriving alone.
Richard came next.
Grant arrived twenty minutes later.
The fourth man arrived in a maintenance van.
His face appeared clearly in one photograph.
Daniel did not know him.
Nora did.
“Evan Pike.”
“Who?”
“Security consultant.”
Daniel frowned.
“Mine?”
“Formerly.”
Nora checked her records.
“Pike worked for the company that installed your home-security upgrade.”
Daniel remembered.
Three years earlier.
“Why would he be there?”
Nora's expression was grim.
“Because he would know how to delete footage.”
The pieces shifted.
Vanessa's laptop.
Grant's credentials.
Security deletion.
Someone with direct technical knowledge.
Nora called her team.
Evan Pike had left his last known address two days earlier.
His phone was off.
Vehicle missing.
Daniel swore.
“Another person disappears.”
“People run when they're frightened.”
“Or guilty.”
“Sometimes both.”
That evening, Nora interviewed Vanessa again.
Daniel was not present.
He waited in the hospital.
At ten, Nora called.
“Vanessa identified Pike.”
“As the masked man?”
“No.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“Then what?”
“She says Pike helped prepare the chamber.”
“For Maya?”
“Yes.”
“When?”
“The day before.”
Daniel gripped the phone.
“So this was planned.”
“Yes.”
Vanessa had previously insisted she panicked after Maya saw the papers.
Now that statement collapsed.
Nora continued.
“She says Grant told her the room was only to scare Maya long enough to recover the tablet.”
“That's insane.”
“Yes.”
“Why would Vanessa agree?”
“She says she thought Maya would spend twenty minutes inside.”
“Instead three days.”
“According to Vanessa, when Maya threatened to tell you everything, Grant changed the plan.”
Daniel walked toward the window.
“And Pike?”
“Pike handled locks, ventilation, security cameras.”
“So arrest him.”
“We need to find him.”
A second call came through on Daniel's phone.
Unknown number.
He froze.
“Nora.”
“I see it. Answer. Put me on speaker.”
Daniel did.
“Hello?”
Static.
Then a man's voice.
“Mr. Hale.”
Daniel's mouth went dry.
“Who is this?”
“You know.”
“Pike?”
Silence.
Daniel looked at Nora's call screen.
“Where are you?”
“That doesn't matter.”
“What do you want?”
“I want protection.”
“From Grant?”
A bitter laugh.
“From all of them.”
“All who?”
“Mercer. Sloan. Your wife.”
“Vanessa is in jail.”
“She can still ruin me.”
“What do you have?”
Pike breathed heavily.
“The tablet.”
Daniel straightened.
“The video showed it burning.”
“Wrong tablet.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Grant had staged the destruction.
“Where is Maya's?”
“With me.”
“Give it to police.”
“I need a deal.”
“I'm not a prosecutor.”
“No.”
Pike's voice hardened.
“But you have something I need.”
“What?”
A pause.
“Your wife's copy of Elise's files.”
Daniel's pulse slowed.
“You mean the flash drive.”
Pike swore softly.
He hadn't known police had it.
Daniel understood immediately.
Pike wasn't calling to trade.
He was calling to find out where the evidence was.
Daniel said nothing.
Pike realized his mistake.
The line went dead.
Nora spoke through Daniel's other phone.
“Do not move.”
“What?”
“Police are tracing the call.”
Daniel stared at the silent screen.
Then a final text appeared from Pike.
ONE MORE THING.
A photograph loaded.
Maya's original tablet.
Still intact.
On the screen was the gallery.
Thumbnail after thumbnail of documents from Vanessa's desk.
And one photograph showed Grant's acquisition agreement opened to the signature page.
Daniel enlarged it.
His own signature appeared at the bottom.
May you like
Except Daniel had never signed it.
Someone had forged the sale already.
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