Chapter 6 - Vanessa says I attacked first
Garage security video had no audio in the section where Vanessa first appeared.
Another camera captured distant sound imperfectly.
But image clear.
I dropped to knees before she touched me.
Gabriel approached.
Vanessa arrived.
She kicked him.
Then heel on my knee.
No evidence I attacked.
Vanessa’s defense shifted.
She said Gabriel frightened her.
He looked homeless.
Moved toward pregnant woman.
She thought he was dangerous.
Could her kick be defense-of-another?
Maybe if reasonable.
Video:
Gabriel crouched several feet away.
Hands visible.
Claire did not resist him.
Vanessa approached after watching for twelve seconds from ramp.
Then kicked.
Weak.
Her heel on my knee?
She claimed:
“I was trying to stop Claire from standing because she was in labor.”
Video showed heel placed with her body leaning forward.
No medical training.
No request.
Then her words.
Garage audio captured:
“Have the baby right here. Ethan and I are flying to Paris tonight.”
Clear enough.
That damaged reasonableness.
Then Gabriel’s identity remained partially sealed in early police reports? No, defense gets eventually. He was a licensed private investigator.
But I still did not know the whole role.
Margaret told me only:
“He worked for the investigation firm.”
Then I asked:
“Who hired the firm?”
“Our company’s audit committee.”
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
“Not you?”
“I recommended them after you brought the Cole invoices.”
I had forgotten the exact chain.
Then:
“Why disguise?”
“Because Ethan recognized another investigator outside Cole Advisory.”
“How?”
Gabriel would explain later.
Then Vanessa’s phone.
Police did not seize automatically just because it rang.
They sought warrant after financial investigators established probable cause? This could take days.
Corporate civil discovery separately preserved business messages through subpoena.
Vanessa’s counsel instructed preservation.
Cole Advisory produced company communications.
Some messages missing from corporate archive because she used personal encrypted app.
Potential spoliation?
Too early.
Cloud provider logs showed account existed.
Police sought records under legal process.
No magical recovery immediately.
Then Ethan’s phone.
Company-owned device.
Warren retained it after suspension under policy.
Forensic image made.
Personal communications segregated for privilege/privacy review.
His personal phone remained his unless subpoena/warrant.
Company device contained enough.
One message to Vanessa four days earlier:
If Claire confronts you, do not engage.
Interesting.
Then:
She suspects fee issue. Keep everything through counsel.
That helped Ethan.
He did not tell Vanessa to attack me.
Then Vanessa:
She always gets dramatic when cornered.
Ethan:
Do not corner her.
There.
So garage assault looked like Vanessa’s decision.
Not Ethan’s instruction.
Then why did Vanessa meet me there?
Message:
Claire’s car just entered garage.
From building security concierge? Who told Vanessa? Ethan’s executive assistant, Paula, sent.
Why?
Vanessa asked if Claire was coming upstairs.
Paula responded.
No sinister coordination.
Then Ethan texted Vanessa:
I’m in lender call. Stay away from Claire.
Timestamp:
6:11.
I dropped at 6:17.
Vanessa ignored him.
May you like
That mattered.
My husband could be financially dishonest and still not responsible for every cruel thing his mistress did.
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