Chapter 10 - The Man Who Didn’t Know
Mara held the receipt by its edge.
“This may help us find the original files. It isn’t the whole case by itself.”
“I know.”
“Good. We follow the evidence. We don’t fill in the gaps because we’re angry.”
She contacted the appropriate people and added the new material to the report. Mrs. Reyes submitted her own records. The movers provided the messages they had received.
Small pieces began joining together.
Not quickly enough for my temper.
Quickly enough to keep me from doing something stupid.
Marco called that evening.
“I need to explain.”
“You can explain through the people handling the complaint.”
“Your wife lied to me too.”
I stood outside the hotel room so the children wouldn’t hear.
“About what?”
“She said you were separated.”
“You slept in my house.”
“She said you only sent support.”
“You watched my children ask neighbors for food.”
“I didn’t know that.”
I looked through the window.
Caleb sat on the bed beside Elena, eating a banana.
A whole banana.
He had asked three times if he could finish it.
“You want me to believe you didn’t notice?”
“Look, I can help you.”
“With what?”
“I have messages.”
“Give them to the investigators.”
“I need assurance.”
“From who?”
“From you.”
I almost laughed.
He wanted the father of the children he had helped erase to promise him a clean exit.
“I’m not making deals with you.”
He lowered his voice.
“There was never enough money for the trip. Vanessa kept telling me you’d send more.”
I stopped pacing.
“What trip?”
He didn’t answer.
“The airport note?”
Silence.
“Where were you going?”
The line went dead.
I saved the call details and told Mara exactly what had been said.
The next morning, Mrs. Reyes forwarded an audio message Marco had sent during the sale negotiations.
I listened in Mara’s office.
His voice was cheerful.
“The husband is cooperative. We just need to keep the kids out of the way during the handover.”
I played it again.
Then a third time.
Mara reached over and stopped the recording.
“That’s enough for now.”
There was another message beneath it.
A voice message from Vanessa.
“Don’t worry about Joel coming home. I know how to keep him there.”
May you like
The date was six weeks before my contract ended.
Six weeks before she had told me Caleb needed expensive treatment.
