Chapter 17 - A Door We Almost Opened
The contractor's name was Owen Rusk. He had provided a spotless resume, polished references, and a proposal to modernize the security system. Priya searched the vendor records and discovered his company had been incorporated six weeks earlier.
“We nearly gave him unrestricted camera access,” Martin said.
“Cancel the appointment,” I answered. “Preserve the correspondence. Let the detectives know.”
Grant's team later found Owen had done contract work for Charles's real-estate firms. They also connected his employee identification number to the maintenance jacket stolen before the break-in at my house.
For the first time, Rosa agreed to return to work, but only after we showed her the new security plan. I offered her paid leave again.
“I'd rather be in the kitchen where I can see what's going on,” she said. “And I'm going to tell you when your coffee tastes terrible.”
“You've been telling me that for twenty years.”
“Then twenty-one won't kill us.”
We laughed. The sound surprised both of us.
That evening Vanessa asked to speak with me. Her attorney and Miriam attended. Vanessa kept twisting the gold ring on her finger.
“I know saying sorry won't fix what I did,” she said.
“No,” I agreed.
“But I want to pay Ruth back. And I want to tell the investigators everything.”
“That is where you start.”
She glanced up. “Will Daniel forgive me?”
“I can't answer for him.”
“Will you?”
I studied her tired face. “Forgiveness isn't a receipt you get for admitting what happened. It's something people decide after they see what you do next.”
She nodded once, tears gathering.
When we finished, Daniel waited outside the meeting room. Vanessa looked toward him. He didn't come forward.
May you like
Instead he held out a sealed envelope.
It contained a petition for legal separation.
