Chapter 9 - Someone Who Stays
Milo had Ruth out of her house before sunset.
Raphael hired an attorney experienced in financial crime and arranged a meeting with investigators through him.
Clara expected him to refuse.
“You’re willing to hand over records?”
“I’m willing to stop pretending I can solve this by threatening people.”
“Can you?”
He didn’t answer quickly.
“I’m trying.”
It was the first time she believed he might be.
His lawyer warned them that receipts established leads, not the whole case.
They needed records from the companies.
Witnesses.
Something connecting intent to action.
Meanwhile, Raphael quietly suspended Victor’s access to business accounts.
The wedding remained scheduled.
Clara heard that part and stood.
“You’re still marrying her?”
“No.”
“Then cancel it.”
“If I tell them what we know, they scatter.”
“And if you don’t?”
“We find out who else is involved.”
She folded her arms.
“You’re using yourself as bait.”
“I’m keeping them close.”
“That sounds better. It means the same thing.”
He looked tired suddenly.
“You’re right.”
She hadn’t expected that.
They agreed on a deadline.
Three more days of legal preparation and document preservation.
Then the wedding would be called off.
That evening, Noel fell asleep on the library couch while Clara sorted copies with the attorney.
Raphael covered her with a blanket.
The child caught his sleeve.
“Don’t go.”
“I’m here.”
“In the morning?”
He glanced at Clara.
Then back at Noel.
“Yes.”
Later, Clara found him still sitting beside the couch.
“You don’t have to prove anything.”
“I made a promise.”
“She makes everybody promise.”
“Does everybody keep it?”
Clara looked away.
He let the question go.
When Noel woke, she placed the third stone in his hand.
“What’s this?” he asked.
“You can stop waiting.”
His fingers closed around it.
Clara felt something in her chest that had nothing to do with her diagnosis.
Hope.
It frightened her more than she wanted to admit.
That night, she heard Evelyn’s voice in the downstairs pantry.
Clara stopped outside the half-open door.
“No more delays,” Evelyn said into her phone.
A pause.
Then:
“He’s changing the accounts. If we wait until after he cancels, we lose everything.”
Clara’s hand moved to the old flip phone in her apron.
The one she used when her cheap smartphone wouldn’t hold a charge.
May you like
She opened the voice recorder.
Inside the pantry, Evelyn said, “Then we do it at the wedding.”
