Chapter 12 - The Last Offer
Clara left the flowers with the building manager and gave the envelope to the responding officer.
She described the notebook and the existing restrictions on Richard’s contact.
Then she called Dana.
“I didn’t answer him.”
“Good. Where are you now?”
“In the lobby. There are people here.”
Her voice shook, but she could hear herself making choices.
By the next afternoon, investigators had spoken with the florist and obtained the available order information.
Richard had used his assistant to arrange the delivery.
The assistant said he described it as a private apology.
When shown the enclosure, she asked for an attorney before answering more questions.
Clara hated how many people had become extensions of his hands.
Richard counted on the distance between an instruction and its consequence.
His lawyer requested a supervised discussion through counsel about settling the divorce.
Clara declined to see him in person.
“He can make an offer on paper,” she said.
The new proposal removed the demand that she recant the assault.
It still described the disputed business activity as a joint marital undertaking.
Dana underlined the phrase.
“Same trap. Cleaner language.”
Clara refused again.
Meanwhile, Graham began formal cooperation with investigators.
His account came with records that could be checked: messages, dates, draft documents, and the route taken by the company’s money.
Cooperation did not erase what he had done.
It made hiding the rest harder.
Nina confirmed the signature request.
The photographer supplied his original footage.
Elena gave a detailed statement about the incident she had witnessed.
Each person held only a piece.
Together, they left Richard less room to rearrange the story.
At a hearing concerning the alleged contact violation, Clara waited outside the courtroom with Dana.
Richard stood at the far end of the hall beside his attorney.
He looked rested.
He caught her eye and smiled the smile she used to mistake for reassurance.
Clara looked away first, deliberately.
It was not surrender.
She had nothing left to learn from his face.
Then the courtroom door opened.
The prosecutor approached Dana and spoke quietly.
May you like
Richard had submitted a written denial that he knew anything about the enclosure.
The delivery assistant had just agreed to testify.
