Chapter 10 - I Said No
“No.”
Julian looked at me.
We were still inside the hospital.
Grace slept against my chest.
Rebecca remained on speakerphone.
“Clara, nobody is asking you to forgive her.”
“She tried to take my daughter.”
“I know.”
“She fabricated psychiatric records.”
“I know.”
“She arranged people to restrain me.”
“I know.”
“Then the answer is no.”
Rebecca accepted it.
Julian did too.
That mattered.
Months earlier, he would have asked me to reconsider.
He would have said Eleanor was still Grace's grandmother.
He would have told me family was complicated.
Now he simply said:
“Okay.”
I looked at him.
“Okay?”
“She's our daughter.”
He corrected himself.
“She is your daughter too, but you're the person she targeted.”
He sat beside me.
“You decide when you feel safe.”
For the first time since Grace was born, I felt something close to peace.
It lasted eleven minutes.
Then federal agents entered.
David Vance had contacted Dominic.
They had intercepted part of the communication.
David wanted the hospital footage destroyed.
More importantly, he believed there was only one copy.
I smiled.
The agent noticed.
“Something funny?”
“He doesn't understand forensic accountants.”
The original footage existed in three encrypted locations.
One was controlled by me.
One automatically transferred to my attorney.
And the third had been scheduled for delivery to Rebecca if I failed to enter a password every twelve hours.
Julian stared at me.
“You built a dead man's switch?”
“A very boring version.”
He almost smiled.
Then the agent's phone rang.
His expression changed.
“Dominic is here.”
Julian stood.
“Here?”
“He's downstairs.”
“Why?”
The agent looked at me.
“He says he wants immunity.”
Dominic Vance had finally realized the family empire was sinking.
And he wanted the first lifeboat.
We met him in a secured conference room.
Dominic looked terrible.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
His eyes were bloodshot.
“I want protection.”
I sat across from him.
“From David?”
He nodded.
“What can you give them?”
“Everything.”
“That's not an answer.”
He looked at Julian.
“Your father ordered Eleanor to take the baby.”
Julian's hands curled into fists.
Dominic continued.
“He believed Clara had hidden evidence.”
“Where?”
“With Grace.”
I stared at him.
“What?”
Dominic swallowed.
“David believed you embedded account information in the baby's medical records.”
I almost laughed.
“That makes no sense.”
“He doesn't know that.”
Then I understood why the fake medical records had become so important.
They weren't only trying to discredit me.
They had been searching hospital systems for information.
Dominic leaned closer.
“David isn't running anymore.”
“What is he doing?”
“He's coming here.”
Julian stared at him.
“Why?”
May you like
Dominic looked toward the wall behind me.
“To finish this himself.”
