The clerk transferred the call before I realized who it was.
“Emily.”
His voice was almost cheerful.
“Mark.”
“Your little friend has been talking.”
My mouth went dry.
“Who?”
“Don’t insult my intelligence.”
I gripped the receiver.
“Where’s Vanessa?”
A pause.
“Why?
Hasn’t she called you?”
“What have you done?”
He laughed softly.
“You always jump to the worst conclusion.”
“Where is she?”
“Some people learn when to stop digging.”
The call ended.
I immediately contacted Miriam and Detective Sloane.
They took the threat seriously.
But at that moment, we had no evidence that Vanessa had been harmed.
For nearly forty-eight hours, I barely slept.
Then a message arrived from a number I didn’t recognize.
I’m safe.
Don’t trust Celeste.
She knows about the archive.
It was signed with a single letter.
V.
I showed Miriam.
“Why wouldn’t she call?”
I asked.
“She may believe her phone is compromised.”
