Chapter 7 - The Man I Called My Friend
Evan Rusk had been my closest friend for fifteen years.
We built Sterling Meridian together from a six-person investment shop into a company worth more than anyone in our families had imagined.
He had stood beside me at my wedding.
He had toasted Alora.
He had called my unborn son "the future boss."
So when I walked into the conference room with Mara and Detective Ortiz, I still wanted there to be another explanation.
Evan saw my face and stopped pretending.
"This is about your phone."
"You tell me."
He rubbed both hands over his face.
"Corrine asked for help."
"Help doing what?"
"Protecting the company."
I laughed once. It sounded ugly.
Evan explained that my mother had convinced him Alora planned to divorce me immediately after the baby was born and take control of trust assets. Corrine showed him doctored emails, edited recordings, and a fake consultation letter from a divorce attorney.
"You believed her?"
"At first."
"And later?"
He looked down.
"Later, I was already in too deep."
He had copied files from my phone, shared private schedules, and given Grant administrative access to the records system.
"Did you know they were going to my house last night?"
"No."
"Did you know about the custody petition?"
His silence answered for him.
I stood so fast the chair rolled backward.
Mara put a hand on my arm.
"Don't."
Evan flinched anyway.
"I never thought they'd hurt her."
"You don't get to say that," I told him. "You handed them the map."
Ortiz placed a recorder on the table.
"Mr. Rusk, you should understand that unauthorized access to medical information, conspiracy to commit burglary, forgery, and attempted theft are not corporate mistakes."
Evan's face drained.
"I want a lawyer."
"Good idea."
As officers escorted him out, he twisted toward me.
"Thane, there's something else. Your mother wasn't only preparing for after the birth. She had a deadline."
I froze.
"What deadline?"
He looked at Ortiz, then back at me.
"She said everything had to be finished before Friday."
It was Tuesday.
"Why Friday?"
May you like
Evan swallowed.
"Because that's when she planned to have Alora committed."
