Chapter 13 - The dinner six weeks earlier
Lily began signing about another night.
Not poison.
Sleep.
Six weeks before the gala, we had dinner at Vanessa’s condo.
I became unusually tired afterward.
I attributed it to work.
I fell asleep on Vanessa’s couch before nine.
When I woke, it was almost midnight.
Lily was still awake watching cartoons.
I was furious.
Vanessa apologized.
Said she thought I needed rest.
Nothing seemed sinister then.
After the gala, police asked whether any food remained from that dinner.
Obviously not.
No testing possible.
But a text existed.
The next morning Vanessa wrote to a friend:
Finally got G to sleep before midnight. Miracle.
Friend:
Wine?
Vanessa:
Something better.
Could be a joke.
Could be medication.
Could be nothing criminal.
May you like
Investigators did not charge based on it.
But they looked deeper.
