Chapter 15
Claire did not ask many questions on the drive.
She handed me a bottle of water. Turned down the radio. Let silence do its work.
At her house, she gave me the guest room, one of her soft old T-shirts, and strict instructions not to check my messages until I had slept.
I tried.
But sleep came in broken pieces.
Every time I closed my eyes, I heard the plate crack again. Saw Genesis’s knife fall. Saw Arthur holding my keys in his trembling hand.
At nine in the morning, I woke to sunlight across the ceiling and forty-three missed calls.
Jackson.
Genesis.
Unknown numbers.
Two from Marcus.
One voicemail from Arthur.
My stomach tightened.
Claire found me sitting on the edge of the bed with the phone in my hand.
“Don’t listen alone,” she said.
So we sat together at the kitchen table while her coffee maker hissed and her old golden retriever, Mabel, pressed her warm body against my legs.
I played Marcus’s message first.
“Elaine, it’s Marcus. I know you may not want to talk, and I understand. I gave my statement. I told them what happened. Some others did too. Not everyone, but enough. I also…” He paused. “I also found something after you left. I don’t want to leave it in the house. Call me when you can. Or have your attorney call me. I’m sorry.”
Claire looked at me.
“What does that mean?” she asked.
“I don’t know.”
Then Arthur’s voicemail.
For several seconds, there was only breathing.
Then his voice, smaller than I had ever heard it.
“Elaine. This is Arthur. I wanted you to know… I should have stopped this long ago. Not just last night. Long ago. Genesis has a safe in her study. Behind the portrait of her father. The code is Jackson’s birthday.” A shaky inhale. “I don’t know what is inside now, but I saw your name on papers two weeks ago. I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”
The message ended.
Claire’s coffee mug stopped halfway to her mouth.
“Elaine,” she said slowly. “What kind of papers?”
I stared at the phone.
May you like
My heart had begun beating hard again.
Before I could answer, Naomi called.
