Chapter 9 - THE STORY PRESTON SOLD
Vanessa’s attorney refused to bring her in immediately.
He demanded written assurances the district attorney would consider her cooperation. The prosecutor refused to promise immunity without hearing what Vanessa knew.
While lawyers argued, Preston expanded his version of events.
He told local reporters Madison had suffered prenatal depression. He claimed she became obsessed with finding the father who had abandoned her and had driven into the mountains to confront him.
He did not name Richard, but the implication spread quickly.
By Wednesday, photographers waited outside Whitaker Atlantic’s Denver headquarters.
A financial blog connected Madison to Richard through old employment records from Evelyn’s years at the company. The story suggested Richard had secretly insured an illegitimate daughter, creating a scandal inside the insurer.
Whitaker Atlantic’s board called an emergency meeting.
Richard’s general counsel advised him to step away from the investigation because any family connection could compromise the company.
He refused.
The board suspended his access to internal systems anyway.
For the first time, Richard’s power became a weakness rather than a solution.
“I should have told the board about you the day I received Evelyn’s letter,” he told Madison. “By hiding it, I made Preston’s story easier to believe.”
Madison did not comfort him.
His regret was real, but so was the damage.
At the hospital, a social worker informed Madison that Preston had contacted the county seeking information about whether an unidentified premature baby had been admitted after the storm.
“He’s looking for Caleb,” Madison said.
Bishop arranged additional security and moved Madison’s chart under a restricted alias.
The investigation also lost something more important.
Vanessa’s Boulder office had been cleared out overnight. Computers were gone. File cabinets were empty. The landlord said Preston had visited the building Sunday morning, hours after reporting Madison missing.
Bishop obtained traffic-camera images of his truck carrying storage boxes.
A search warrant was prepared, but the detective warned that Preston could claim he had removed legitimate business records.
“We need Vanessa,” Bishop said. “Or we need the data she destroyed.”
Daniel Cho had one remaining source: Whitaker Atlantic’s automated server backups. Restoring them would take days, and Richard no longer had authority to prioritize the work.
Madison looked at the memorial announcement.
Saturday was less than seventy-two hours away.
If Preston used the service to establish himself publicly as the grieving husband, he might leave immediately afterward.
The truth existed in pieces.
Her testimony.
The stolen money.
The false policy.
The wiped office.
The tire tracks at Ravenstone.
Enough to know what happened.
Not yet enough to prevent Preston from calling it an accident and Vanessa from calling herself a frightened witness.
Then Vanessa’s attorney called again.
May you like
His client would meet.
But she insisted Madison be present.
