Chapter 16: Mrs. Pierce's Secret

Elaine Pierce hadn't paid the hospital employee to watch me.

She had paid him to watch Greer.

That distinction mattered.

Officer Ramirez explained only what had been verified.

The employee worked in hospital administration and had access to public areas, schedules, and internal movement that he should never have been using for private surveillance.

Elaine had allegedly asked him to notify her whenever Greer appeared at the hospital with Dr. Adrian Lowe.

“Why?” my mother asked.

“We don't know yet.”

I thought I did.

A mother suspicious of her teenage daughter's relationship with an older man.

But that didn't explain why the employee sent the photograph to me.

Ramirez continued.

“He says he panicked after learning police were involved. He believed you already knew about Dr. Lowe because of the message you sent Greer.”

“So he sent me the photo?”

“According to him, yes. He thought exposing the situation publicly would redirect attention away from his own involvement.”

I stared at him.

“He wanted me to do his dirty work.”

“That's one interpretation.”

“Did Elaine tell Greer to post my hospital photo?”

“We have no evidence of that.”

That was important.

I nodded.

“What about the prepaid phone?”

“Still under investigation.”

The next day, Elaine Pierce arrived at school with an attorney.

I saw her through the glass wall of the administrative office.

Perfect coat.

Perfect hair.

Perfect posture.

Greer sat beside her looking miserable.

For the first time, I wondered what Greer's home had actually been like.

That thought annoyed me.

I didn't want complexity.

I wanted a villain.

Villains were easier.

But reality kept refusing.

During third period, Principal Warren announced that the school had completed part of its disciplinary review.

Brooke received a multi-day suspension for vandalism and creating fabricated material used to harass another student.

Mason's suspension continued while the threat investigation remained active.

Sienna received disciplinary probation for participating in the distribution of fabricated messages.

Greer's case remained open because the evidence involved both school violations and outside investigations.

Counselor Bennett remained on administrative leave.

The class was silent.

Then someone whispered, “Damn.”

I looked out the window.

Last time, nothing had happened.

Now consequences were arriving one by one.

Still, I didn't feel victorious.

At lunch, Talia sat with me again.

“People are saying Greer's mom hired someone to stalk her.”

“People say a lot of things.”

“Is it true?”

“I don't know what the police have confirmed publicly.”

Talia rolled her eyes.

“You sound like a lawyer.”

“Good.”

She smiled despite herself.

Then her expression changed.

“Greer used to tell us her mom checked her phone every night.”

I looked at her.

“Why?”

“She said her parents were controlling.”

“That doesn't excuse what she did.”

“I know.”

Talia picked at her food.

“I'm just saying maybe she was scared too.”

I thought of Greer alone in the cafeteria.

“Being hurt doesn't give you permission to hurt someone else.”

Talia nodded.

“Yeah.”

After school, my mother and I met with an attorney from a local legal-aid organization.

Not because we planned to sue everyone immediately.

Because I wanted someone outside the school to explain our options.

The attorney, Ms. Alvarez, reviewed my documentation.

She looked impressed.

“You preserved this very well.”

“I learned the hard way.”

She glanced at me, probably wondering what that meant.

She explained the difference between school discipline, criminal investigation, and possible civil claims.

“Most importantly,” she said, “don't let anyone pressure you into signing confidentiality agreements without review.”

My mother and I exchanged a look.

Richard Pierce's old attorney letter sat in our folder.

History liked repeating itself.

Not this time.

When we returned home, a black sedan was parked across the street.

My body tensed.

My mother noticed.

“Inside.”

We entered the building and called Officer Ramirez.

The sedan left before police arrived.

But I had photographed the license plate.

Ramirez ran it.

The car was registered to a company.

The company belonged to Pierce Holdings.

My mother went pale.

“Richard?”

I shook my head.

“We don't know.”

An hour later, Richard called.

He sounded furious.

“That car wasn't sent by me.”

“It's your company.”

“Several executives have access to fleet vehicles.”

“Including Elaine?”

Silence.

“Yes.”

I sat down.

“Why would she watch me?”

“I don't know.”

His voice sounded strained.

Then he said something I didn't expect.

“Imogen, I should have dealt with this years ago.”

“Dealt with what? Me?”

“No.”

He exhaled.

“The lie.”

My chest tightened.

“What lie?”

“The story Elaine told Greer about you.”

I gripped the phone.

“What did she tell her?”

Richard answered quietly.

“That your mother tried to destroy our family, and that you were eventually going to take everything Greer had.”

I closed my eyes.

There it was.

Not an excuse.

A motive.

Greer hadn't seen a scholarship student.

She had seen an enemy she had been taught to fear.