Chapter 10 - The First Signature —
Ortiz identified herself and asked Adrian to remain while she spoke to him. He asked for a lawyer almost immediately. June kept the declaration he had voluntarily handed us. Nobody needed to pretend he had confessed to everything. What he had brought was bad enough.
I went upstairs before I saw whether he left with Ortiz or waited for counsel. My legs were shaking, and I was tired of doing important things while afraid.
Dorian stood when I entered.
“What did you sign?” I asked.
He didn’t ask what I meant. That hurt before he answered.
“A limited review authorization. Six months ago. Victor said the foundation needed to verify the expenses attributed to you.”
“You authorized Adrian to investigate me?”
“To verify bills. Not to invent a diagnosis. Not to access unrelated information.”
“But you let him into the room.”
His face changed. “Yes.”
I walked to the window because I couldn’t stand looking at him.
“Get me a copy.”
He sent it to June before doing anything else. It permitted a review of foundation billing associated with my volunteer role. Adrian had later attached it to requests for much broader information.
Dorian had not authorized the forged consultation. He had still authorized the first intrusion.
Both things were true. I refused to let either erase the other.
“When you came to my apartment seven weeks ago,” I said, “did you already believe I was stealing?”
He swallowed. “I didn’t want to.”
“That isn’t what I asked.”
“Yes.”
I remembered that night. His forehead against mine. His voice saying he missed me. The hope I had buried the next morning when he left before breakfast.
“You let me think we were finding our way back.”
“I wanted us to.”
“Without telling me what stood between us.”
He nodded once.
“The baby isn’t a bridge over what you did.”
“I know.”
“And being fooled doesn’t excuse being cruel.”
“I know that too.”
I asked him to leave. He did.
For ten minutes, I let myself cry where nobody could turn it into evidence.
Then June knocked.
“We have the vendor’s preliminary records.”
She set her laptop in front of me. Northstar’s intake form listed a contact email beside my name.
May you like
It was almost mine. One extra letter.
The recovery phone number belonged to Victor.
