Chapter 11 - The Meeting That Didn’t Happen
“No,” Elena said.
Daniel hadn’t even finished explaining.
“He wants to apologize.”
“He can apologize through his lawyer.”
“He says he has something.”
“Then he can give it to investigators.”
Colin had asked Daniel to meet him behind a closed auto-parts store after dark.
Émilie heard enough from the hallway to feel cold all over.
“Dad.”
He turned.
“Don’t.”
The word came out smaller than she wanted.
Daniel looked at her, then at the phone.
For months, people had decided where he went, when he ate, when he stood, when he rested.
Now he wanted to do something himself.
Émilie could see the fight happening behind his eyes.
Then he exhaled.
“I’m not going.”
Elena arranged for Colin to contact the investigator through counsel.
The meeting behind the store never happened.
The next morning, Colin delivered a laptop and a written account of the records changes.
He admitted copying Daniel’s signature from an old inspection form.
He admitted replacing the maintenance sheet after the wreck.
And he admitted preparing the statement dated during Daniel’s hospitalization.
He claimed Mark had ordered all of it.
Elena warned Daniel that Colin had reasons to shift blame.
“He’s not a hero because he finally told the truth.”
“No,” Daniel said. “He isn’t.”
But the laptop contained emails, drafts, and messages that could be checked against other records.
One message concerned Ruth’s missing copies.
Carter’s sister will let me in. I’ll handle the paper problem.
Sent from Mark’s company account.
Another concerned the settlement.
He needs treatment money. Give him a deadline.
June turned away from the screen.
Not because she was surprised.
Because she remembered thanking him for the groceries.
Émilie followed her into the kitchen.
“It wasn’t your fault.”
“I should have stayed in the room.”
“You were helping Dad.”
June pressed a hand over her mouth.
Émilie hugged her.
For once, she could give an adult something besides another reason to worry.
That afternoon, Elena called with one more development.
The anonymous message after the dance had been traced to an online account.
Investigators were seeking records identifying who had used it.
Daniel closed his eyes.
For the first time in weeks, the pressure in the house seemed to loosen.
Then Émilie’s phone rang.
Brianna.
She answered.
May you like
All she heard at first was crying.
“He says this is my fault,” Brianna whispered.
