Chapter 5 - THE ARREST
Preston was arrested at 3:17 that afternoon.
I didn’t see it happen.
But Madison did.
And so did half the wedding party.
Apparently, Preston had returned to the Whitmore Hotel believing he could still control the situation.
Two detectives were waiting in the lobby.
Madison told me later that he laughed when they approached.
He actually laughed.
Then they put him in handcuffs.
That was when he stopped.
My mother called me six minutes later.
I answered.
“You had your brother arrested.”
Not hello.
Not how is Sophie.
Just accusation.
“No.”
I looked through the hospital window.
“His actions got him arrested.”
“You gave the police a statement.”
“Yes.”
“How could you do this?”
I almost admired the question.
“How could I?”
“He is your brother.”
“Sophie is my daughter.”
“You could have handled this privately.”
“He hit her publicly.”
My mother went silent.
Then she changed tactics.
“You’re emotional.”
“No.”
“You’re angry.”
“Yes.”
“That’s exactly why you shouldn’t make permanent decisions.”
I smiled without humor.
“Funny.”
“What?”
“You never said that to Preston before he picked up the board.”
She hung up.
Sophie was discharged later that afternoon.
She had six stitches and strict instructions to rest.
Rachel arranged for us to stay somewhere other than my apartment.
“Why?”
“Because your family knows where you live.”
“They’re not going to hurt us.”
Rachel gave me a look.
“Yesterday morning, did you think your brother would hit Sophie?”
I had no answer.
We checked into a quiet hotel near the lake.
Sophie curled beside me watching cartoons.
At 8:00 p.m., the first news report appeared.
CHICAGO EXECUTIVE ARRESTED AFTER INCIDENT AT LUXURY WEDDING.
No names yet.
But they would come.
Rachel called.
“Preston made bail.”
My stomach dropped.
“When?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“Can he contact us?”
“No.”
“There’s a protective order.”
I exhaled.
Then Rachel continued.
“Your father posted bail.”
Of course he did.
“What about the CCTV?”
“Secured.”
“Can Preston challenge it?”
“He can challenge anything.”
“But?”
“But seven synchronized cameras are difficult to explain away.”
I looked at Sophie.
She had fallen asleep.
“Rachel.”
“Yes?”
“What happens if the board sees the footage?”
“Preston could lose everything.”
The answer should have satisfied me.
It didn’t.
Because I wasn’t doing this for the company.
I wasn’t doing it for revenge.
I wanted something simpler.
I wanted Sophie to grow up knowing that when someone hurt her, her mother didn’t look away.
The next morning, someone knocked on our hotel door.
Three slow knocks.
I froze.
Rachel was the only person who knew where we were.
I looked through the peephole.
My father stood outside.
Alone.
I opened the door but kept the security latch engaged.
“How did you find us?”
“I’m your father.”
“That isn’t an answer.”
His face looked ten years older.
“Can I come in?”
“No.”
“Evelyn.”
“No.”
He looked past me.
“Is Sophie okay?”
“You waited almost forty-eight hours to ask.”
Pain crossed his face.
Maybe real.
Maybe not.
“I made mistakes.”
“You lied to police.”
“I panicked.”
“You tried to get the footage.”
“I was protecting the family.”
“From what?”
He looked at me.
“The truth?”
His shoulders dropped.
Then he reached into his coat.
For one second I tensed.
He pulled out an envelope.
“What is that?”
“Something your grandfather left for you.”
I didn’t take it.
“Why do you have it?”
“Because I was supposed to give it to you five years ago.”
My stomach turned.
“What’s inside?”
His eyes filled with something I had rarely seen.
Shame.
“A letter.”
“About what?”
May you like
He looked down.
“About Preston.”
