Page 28 of If She Remembered
Diana opened the notes app and found shopping lists, work reminders, and what appeared to be planning notes for Kate's wedding.One note contained a detailed timeline for the wedding day, including addresses for the ceremony venue, reception location, and the hotel where out-of-town guests would be staying.
The messaging app revealed text conversations with family members, friends, and work contacts.Diana scrolled through recent exchanges, getting insights into the family's concerns, plans, and daily communication patterns.There were messages between Melissa and Kate discussing wedding preparations, conversations with Terry about household logistics (and one very flirty exchange that Diana thought was going to get very graphic in nature before petering out), and exchanges with friends about childcare arrangements.
Diana felt like she was reading someone's private diary, gaining access to intimate details about Kate Wise's family that would have taken months of surveillance to uncover.The phone contained a complete map of their personal lives, relationships, and routines.
She opened the email app and quickly scrolled through recent messages, taking screenshots of anything that seemed relevant to her surveillance objectives.There were work emails about freelance projects, personal correspondence with friends and family members, and official communications about wedding vendors and arrangements.
The phone buzzed again with another attempted call from Melissa.Diana realized she couldn't keep the device much longer without arousing suspicion.She needed to return it in a way that would seem natural and coincidental, maintaining her cover while having extracted as much useful information as possible.
Diana scrolled back through the contacts list until she found Terry's number.This would be the perfect opportunity to insert herself into the family's circle in a helpful, non-threatening way.She would position herself as a Good Samaritan who had accidentally picked up the phone during the confusion at the grocery store.
She took a deep breath and dialed Terry's number, watching as the call connected.
"Hello?"A man's voice answered, sounding slightly distracted.
"Hi, is this Terry Goldman?"Diana asked, injecting a note of friendly concern into her voice.
"Yes, this is Terry.Who's calling?"
"My name is Diana, and I think I accidentally picked up your wife's phone at the grocery store this morning.There was a bit of a collision in the parking lot, and in all the confusion of cleaning up spilled groceries, I must have grabbed her phone by mistake."
"Oh wow, really?"Terry's voice brightened with relief."Melissa has been going crazy trying to find that thing for the last half an hour or so.She's been calling it and searching everywhere."
Diana laughed, hoping she sounded appropriately embarrassed."I feel terrible about it.I didn't realize I had it until I got home and found an iPhone tucked in with my crackers.I’m so terribly sorry.”
"Oh, no worries.She’ll be thrilled to know it’s been found."Terry paused."Where did you say this happened?"
"At the Kroger on Broad Street, in the parking lot.I was carrying too many bags and ran right into her.We both ended up on our hands and knees picking up canned goods and produce."Diana laughed again."It was quite a scene… and she was so lovely to help."
"That sounds like something that would happen to Melissa," Terry said with obvious affection."She's always trying to help people, even when she's the one who needs help."
"She was so sweet about the whole thing.Really gracious, even though I made such a mess."Diana felt pleased with how naturally the conversation was flowing."I'd love to get her phone back to her as soon as possible.I know how stressful it must be to be without it."
"Absolutely.Where are you located?I could come pick it up, or you could drop it by our house if that's easier."
"I don't mind bringing it by," Diana said quickly."I feel responsible for the mix-up, so it's the least I can do.I’m heading out again in about fifteen minutes, anyway."
Terry gave her their address, which Diana already knew from her surveillance but pretended to write down."Well, I suppose I’ll be seeing you in about forty minutes or so.Again… my apologies.”
"No need to apologize.Melissa just ran out to pick up our daughter from daycare, but she should be back within the hour.I'll be here waiting."
"Perfect."Diana ended the call and allowed herself a moment of satisfaction.The operation had gone even better than she'd hoped.Not only had she successfully extracted valuable intelligence from Melissa's phone, but she was now being invited directly into their home.
Diana started her car and pulled out of the shopping center parking lot, already anticipating the next phase of her plan.Meeting Terry in person would give her additional insights into the family dynamics, and returning the phone would establish her as a trustworthy, helpful person rather than a threat.
The game was progressing exactly as she had envisioned, with each step bringing her closer to Kate Wise and her family.Soon, Diana would be positioned right in the middle of the family that had ruined her life and brought her so much grief for so long.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
The safe house sat on a quiet residential street just beyond the Medical College of Virginia campus, nestled between two similar modest homes that had probably been built in the 1960s.Kate stood at the kitchen window, peering through the thin curtains at the street outside while DeMarco checked her weapon for the third time in the past ten minutes.
The house was exactly what Kate had expected from FBI safe house accommodations: functional but utterly devoid of personality.The living room contained a beige couch that had seen better days, a coffee table that wobbled slightly on uneven legs, and a television that was probably older than some of the agents who used this place from time to time.The kitchen contained the bare minimum of appliances and furniture, with laminate countertops that had been cleaned so many times they'd lost their original pattern.
Kate had been in dozens of safe houses over her career, and they all had the same sterile, temporary quality.Nothing on the walls except the most basic fixtures, no personal touches, no sense that real people lived here.Just empty spaces maintained for law enforcement operations like the one they were conducting today.They were essentially just larger motel rooms, but with a little less class.
The tactical team was positioned two houses down, close enough to respond within about a minute, but far enough away to remain invisible to anyone approaching the safe house.Kate had worked with similar setups many times before, but she always felt the tension that came with not knowing whether they were about to confront a dangerous criminal or an innocent civilian.
DeMarco checked her watch."It's almost four o'clock.Think he'll show up on time?"
