Chapter 7 - Emily's Sister
Vanessa Reed had always been difficult.
Jealous of Emily.
Impulsive.
Frequently broke.
But Daniel never imagined she could be involved in murder.
Police detained her with Nora.
Vanessa insisted she was innocent.
"I met Nora because she said she had evidence about Emily's death."
Daniel watched the interview through a monitor.
Mills asked:
"Why were you carrying estate papers?"
"Because they're mine."
"They belong to Lily."
Vanessa's face hardened.
"My father promised that money would stay in the family."
"Lily is family."
Vanessa looked away.
That tiny reaction was enough.
Investigators dug deeper.
Years earlier, Vanessa had challenged her father's estate plan.
She believed Emily had been favored.
She lost.
Then Emily died.
Vanessa expected part of the trust to revert to her.
It didn't.
Everything remained structured for Lily.
That created motive.
But motive wasn't proof.
Then Brent Walsh's phone records arrived.
Hundreds of calls between Brent and Nora.
Dozens between Brent and Vanessa.
The earliest dated almost two years before Emily died.
Daniel stared at the timeline.
"They knew each other before Nora came into our lives."
Mills nodded.
The original plan became clearer.
Vanessa supplied family information.
Nora positioned herself close to Emily.
Brent handled documents and financial research.
Emily became sick.
After Emily's death, Nora stayed close to Daniel.
The plan shifted.
If Daniel died too, Vanessa hoped to challenge Lily's trust while Nora pursued guardianship.
Each expected access.
Each believed they could control the other.
Daniel looked at the detective.
"Who came up with it?"
"We think Nora."
"Why?"
"Because she had done versions of this before."
Then Vanessa asked to speak with Daniel.
He refused.
She sent a handwritten note through her attorney.
**I didn't know Nora was poisoning Emily. I only wanted my father's money back.**
Daniel crumpled it.
Michael looked at him.
"That could be true."
Daniel's eyes flashed.
"She fed Nora information."
"Yes."
"She told her Emily's medications."
"Probably."
"She told her about the trust."
"Yes."
Daniel tossed the note onto the table.
"Then she doesn't get to pretend she didn't help build the gun because she didn't pull the trigger."
Mills later confirmed Vanessa had sent Nora photographs of Emily's prescription bottles.
She had also shared Daniel's work schedule.
And one message from Vanessa stood out.
**If Emily gets too sick, Daniel won't notice anything except Lily.**
Daniel read it three times.
Then another:
**Once she's gone, make yourself useful. He hates being alone.**
Daniel's stomach turned.
Nora's kindness after Emily's death had been planned.
Meal deliveries.
Helping with Lily.
Sitting with Daniel during late nights.
Every gentle gesture had been strategy.
Then Mills found one message sent the morning Daniel was poisoned.
From Vanessa to Nora.
**Are you really doing it today?**
Nora replied:
**He found the insurance folder. I don't have a choice.**
Daniel's eyes narrowed.
"What insurance folder?"
He had no idea what she meant.
Until Michael suddenly remembered something.
"Daniel... last week, you said you were updating your life insurance."
Daniel went still.
He had.
And he'd changed the beneficiary structure.
Everything would go directly into protected accounts for Lily.
Nora would receive nothing.
Not even temporary household access.
May you like
She had seen the change.
And panicked.
