Chapter 4
I called Ellis.
The driver.
Not threatening.
I wanted his version.
He waited at the service entrance because Evelyn instructed him to.
Did he know Nessa would be inside a trunk?
No.
That surprised him.
He expected a nanny to bring her through the service corridor.
“Why service?”
“Mrs. Vale said photographers were near the front.”
There were no photographers.
Private event.
Another lie.
He had been told Nessa was tired and leaving early.
Destination:
Westbrook.
Then after five days, not ten.
Interesting.
I asked Evelyn.
She hesitated.
Corisandra had told her ten.
Why the mismatch?
Because Westbrook was only step one.
After five days, Nessa was supposed to continue to a lakeside property in Wisconsin for the remainder of the honeymoon.
“With whom?”
Evelyn answered:
“Staff.”
Not me.
Not Corisandra.
Not family.
Staff.
Three weeks total.
My daughter’s longest separation from me had been two nights.
They intended twenty-one days.
Why not tell me?
Because I would say no.
At least Evelyn was honest eventually.
May you like
That was the entire design.
Avoid the person whose consent would stop the plan.
