Chapter 11: The Shadow in the Pines
In early May, the outside world made one final, desperate attempt to intrude upon their peace.
A private investigator named Raymond Vance—hired by Vanessa’s defense team to fabricate evidence of Daniel’s parental neglect in North Carolina—was caught photographing Lily and Claire outside the art studio.
Daniel did not engage in a public scene.
He contacted the Carteret County Sheriff, providing the active Virginia protective order and high-definition footage from the studio's security cameras.
Within twenty minutes, two squad cars blocked the investigator's sedan on Front Street.
Daniel walked down the wooden sidewalk, stopping beside the open driver’s window as the investigator was placed in handcuffs for felony stalking and violation of an interstate protection decree.
"Take a message back to Vanessa’s legal team," Daniel said with absolute, chilling calm, looking into the investigator's eyes. "Every time you look in our direction, another subpoena is filed. The grand jury meets on Thursday. Tell her to save her money for her defense counsel."
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The investigator was driven away, and the quiet peace of the maritime village closed in once more, unbroken and unyielding.
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