Chapter 12 - Open It, Dad
The laughter slowly died as Noah crossed the ballroom.
Julian watched him approach.
Confusion replaced triumph.
Noah held out his hand.
“Can I use the microphone?”
Julian looked at the guests.
He smiled.
Of course he did.
He thought this could become another performance.
“Sure, buddy.”
Noah took the microphone.
His voice was small but clear.
“I brought you a wedding gift.”
A few guests made soft sounds.
Someone said, “Aw.”
Julian smiled.
“You didn’t have to do that.”
“I know.”
Noah handed him the box.
Julian opened it.
His face collapsed.
The recorder sat inside.
For several seconds he didn’t move.
Then he grabbed it.
“Where did you get this?”
Every person in the room heard him.
Noah swallowed.
“It was in my model airplane box.”
Julian looked at me.
Rage flashed across his face.
“You.”
I stood.
“Don’t.”
Martin Keller rose from a nearby table.
Julian saw him.
That was when the panic arrived.
“Noah, did you listen to this?”
“Some.”
“Who else?”
“Mom’s lawyer.”
Julian stepped forward.
“Rachel, give me the copies.”
Martin approached.
“What copies?”
“Stay out of this, Martin.”
“You made it firm business when you mentioned client confidentiality.”
Victoria stood beside the wedding table.
She had gone completely still.
Noah reached into his pocket.
Then he pulled out the duplicate USB.
Martin stopped walking.
Julian’s hand snapped out.
I stepped between them.
“Don’t touch him.”
“Rachel, you have no idea what you’re doing.”
“You keep saying that.”
Julian lowered his voice.
“You think this hurts only me?”
Martin said:
“What’s on the drive?”
Julian turned.
“Nothing.”
Noah answered.
“Then why did Dad tell me to break it?”
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Victoria closed her eyes.
Someone near the back whispered, “What?”
Julian grabbed the microphone.
“My son has been manipulated by a bitter ex-wife.”
I felt the room shift.
There it was.
His favorite move.
Blame.
Deflect.
Rewrite.
Then Victoria walked forward.
“No.”
Julian stared at her.
She took the microphone from his hand.
“My husband is lying.”
Gasps spread across the ballroom.
“Victoria.”
She looked at the guests.
“My name appears on some of those recordings.”
Julian grabbed her wrist.
“Stop.”
She pulled free.
“I helped him conceal income during his divorce.”
The room exploded into whispers.
“I also notarized a document I should never have notarized.”
“Victoria!”
“And when I discovered what else he was hiding, I contacted investigators.”
Julian stopped moving.
His face emptied.
“What did you say?”
Victoria looked directly at him.
“You heard me.”
Then the ballroom doors opened.
Three men in dark suits entered with two uniformed officers.
Julian stared at them.
Martin Keller stepped backward.
Several law partners stood simultaneously.
Julian whispered:
“No.”
One of the agents approached.
“Julian Vance?”
Julian looked at Victoria.
“You set me up.”
She shook her head.
“No.”
May you like
Then she delivered the sentence I would remember for years.
“You did that yourself.”
