Vanessa snatched up her phone.

Adrian caught her wrist before she could decline the call.

“Answer it.”

“Let go of me.”

“Answer it.”

Her voice dropped. “You’re hurting me.”

Adrian released her immediately.

But he did not step back.

The phone kept ringing.

Mara watched from the bed.

Vanessa finally answered.

“Hello?”

Dr. Larkin’s voice came faintly through the speaker.

“Ms. Hart?”

Vanessa froze.

Adrian held out his hand.

She stared at him.

“Speaker.”

She pressed the button.

Dr. Larkin continued.

“You called my office earlier.”

Vanessa’s lips parted.

“I think you have the wrong number.”

“No. You identified yourself.”

Adrian felt something inside him settle.

Not anger.

Something colder.

“What did she ask you?” he said.

The doctor recognized his voice.

“Mr. Cole?”

“Yes.”

Dr. Larkin paused.

Then: “Ms. Hart asked whether I had kept any biological samples from your mother’s final admission.”

Mara inhaled sharply.

Vanessa’s eyes shut for one second.

Adrian said, “Did you?”

“I’m not discussing that over the phone.”

“Then I’m coming to you.”

“I think that would be wise.”

The call ended.

Vanessa stuffed her phone into her purse.

“This looks bad.”

Adrian laughed without humor. “That’s your defense?”

“I was trying to protect you.”

“From what?”

“From Mara.”

Mara stared at her.

Vanessa pointed toward the bed.

“She has been obsessed with your mother for years. She inserted herself into every part of this family. She wanted Eleanor’s approval. She wanted your trust.”

Mara’s face tightened.

Vanessa turned to Adrian.

“She wants my place.”

Mara looked sick.

Adrian did not answer immediately.

Vanessa softened her voice.

“You know me.”

He looked at the woman he planned to marry in ten days.

He remembered three years of dinners, holidays, vacations, whispered plans, arguments followed by apologies.

He remembered how she held him at his mother’s funeral.

How she handled calls.

How she told him not to worry about details.

How easy it had been to let her.

Then he remembered the missing security hour.

The pearl earring.

The recording.

The safe.

Dr. Larkin’s call.

He looked at Vanessa.

“I thought I did.”

Her face went blank.

Adrian turned to Mara.

“I’m taking you somewhere safe.”

Vanessa’s voice sharpened. “You are not bringing her home.”

Adrian looked back.

“No.”

Relief flashed across Vanessa’s face.

He continued.

“I’m not bringing you home.”

For the first time that night, Vanessa looked afraid.

Adrian’s phone buzzed.

Frank had sent a photo from the false bottom of the safe.

It showed three words scratched into the metal.

TRUST THE GARDENER.