Chapter 13 - The Night My Father Died
I listened to the recording four times.
Each time, Marcus's voice sounded calmer.
That made it worse.
"Before Henry reaches Price."
Six words.
Twelve years of my life rearranged by six words.
Leo called federal investigators he trusted and transferred copies of everything from Derek's phone.
Derek stopped talking.
His attorney arrived before midnight.
Marcus did not answer a single call.
At two in the morning, I sat alone in Father's old study.
Clara found me there.
"You should sleep."
"So should you."
She sat across from me anyway.
For a while neither of us spoke.
Then I said, "I spent twelve years thinking he died because he drove too fast in the rain."
Clara looked down.
"I spent twenty-eight thinking he chose not to know me."
We both had ghosts built from lies.
"I'm sorry," I said.
She looked up. "For what?"
"For yesterday. For treating you like a threat before treating you like a person."
A tired smile touched her mouth.
"You are very bad at apologies."
"I'm new to them."
"Keep practicing."
The door opened.
Mother stood there with the nurse behind her.
"There you both are."
"You should be in bed," we said together.
Mother smiled.
"Well, that's irritatingly familial."
Clara laughed.
I did too.
For one second, it felt almost normal.
Then Mother became serious.
"There is one more thing."
I groaned. "Please tell me we've reached the end of the secrets."
"Almost."
She handed Clara a sealed letter.
"Rose wrote this to me. I never opened it."
Clara stared at the envelope.
"Why?"
Mother's voice became small.
"Cowardice."
Clara opened it.
Rose's letter was only two pages.
She read silently at first, then aloud.
"Eleanor, I don't hate you. I hated you for a while. Then I had a daughter and learned how fear can make decent people cruel. Henry says he will fix this. I hope he does. If he doesn't, please don't punish Clara for what the adults did."
Mother covered her mouth.
Clara's voice shook as she finished.
"If Clara ever comes to you, tell her I never wanted the Hale name. I wanted her to know she was not a mistake."
Mother broke.
Clara moved to her before I could.
She knelt and held her.
The woman my mother had helped send away had forgiven her years ago.
Mother had spent decades refusing to forgive herself.
My phone rang.
Federal investigator Dana Cole.
"Bennett, Marcus just filed an emergency motion claiming Eleanor is medically incompetent and you are coercing her."
I looked at Mother.
May you like
Dana continued.
"And he's asking the court to remove you from control of the company by noon."
