Chapter 5 - THE WOMAN WHO WAS SUPPOSED TO TAKE CHLOE AWAY
Monica Vale was stopped before leaving the country.
Victoria’s sister.
She immediately said:
“I thought I was taking Chloe on a wellness retreat.”
A detective asked:
“After her funeral?”
That broke her.
Victoria had told Monica the fake death was a legal strategy.
Dangerous people were supposedly trying to use Chloe against Julian.
The family needed everyone to believe she was dead until the situation calmed down.
Monica wanted to believe that.
It made her helper instead of accomplice.
Then investigators recovered a message.
VICTORIA:
ONCE EVERYONE THINKS SHE’S GONE, NOBODY CAN USE HER AGAINST US.
MONICA:
AND ELEANOR?
VICTORIA:
SHE’LL GRIEVE LIKE EVERYONE ELSE.
I read that sentence once.
Never again.
Victoria had planned my grief as part of the logistics.
Meanwhile, Chloe’s casket became evidence.
The interior had been altered.
Ventilation gaps.
Extra padding.
A concealed restraint.
Someone expected a living child to remain inside temporarily.
The funeral provider said the casket arrived through a private supplier chosen through Julian’s arrangements.
Everybody involved suddenly knew very little.
Dr. Cross knew even less.
He claimed he believed Chloe experienced a catastrophic crisis.
But there was no proper medical chain supporting that explanation.
No hospital.
No emergency transport.
No valid death certification.
His professional role came under review.
Julian asked to speak with me through lawyers.
I refused twice.
The third time, I agreed.
He looked ten years older.
“Mom, I never meant to hurt Chloe.”
I said nothing.
“I was trying to protect her.”
“From whom?”
“The Harts.”
“What did they do?”
“They were going to take her.”
“Why?”
“They think money gives them ownership.”
I stared at him.
“You placed her in a casket.”
“It wasn’t supposed to be like that.”
“What was it supposed to be like?”
Silence.
“We were going to disappear for a while.”
“We?”
His eyes moved.
“Victoria and Chloe?”
No answer.
He had not planned to disappear.
His wife and daughter would go abroad.
Julian would remain in Chicago.
Managing the trust effects of Chloe’s supposed death.
“Why did you tell Chloe she was dead?”
His face crumpled.
“She kept fighting the plan.”
“She’s six.”
“I know.”
“No.”
I stood.
“If you knew, we wouldn’t be sitting here.”
As I reached the door, he said:
“Mom, Claire started all of this.”
I turned.
“What does that mean?”
He immediately regretted saying it.
“Nothing.”
May you like
But I had heard enough.
My son had just spoken about a dead woman in the present tense of blame.
