Chapter 6 - Vivian’s Offer
Vivian Sanders rang the bell once.
Nobody moved.
Then she rang again.
Jenna’s mother whispered, “How did she know you were here?”
Emma wondered the same thing.
She opened the door before anyone could stop her.
Vivian stood under a black umbrella.
“I need five minutes.”
“You’ve got none.”
“Then I’ll use three.”
She looked past Emma toward Jenna.
“Hello, Jenna.”
Jenna shrank into her chair.
Emma stepped outside and pulled the door closed behind her.
“What do you want?”
Vivian held out an envelope.
Emma didn’t take it.
“What is that?”
“Ten thousand dollars.”
Emma actually laughed.
“For what?”
“For your inconvenience.”
“My inconvenience?”
“You stop calling former students. You stop involving Lily Carter. Ava returns to class if she wants. Nobody is expelled. Nobody loses tuition.”
Emma stared at her.
“You think I’m doing this for money?”
“No.” Vivian’s expression stayed calm. “I think everybody has a number. People who claim they don’t usually just haven’t heard the right one yet.”
Emma stepped closer.
“You watched your daughter terrorize kids for years.”
Vivian’s jaw twitched.
“You know nothing about my daughter.”
“I know she hits people.”
“She is under enormous pressure.”
“So is Lily. She doesn’t slap people.”
For the first time, Vivian’s composure cracked.
“Lily Carter is not innocent.”
Emma paused.
“What does that mean?”
Vivian looked toward the house.
“It means your little victim has been collecting information she has no business collecting.”
“What information?”
Vivian smiled again, but now it looked forced.
“Take the money.”
“No.”
“Think about your cousin.”
“Was that a threat?”
“It was advice.”
Vivian got into her SUV and drove away.
Emma went back inside.
Jenna was crying.
“She did that before,” Jenna said.
“What?”
“She offered my mom money after I got hurt.”
Mrs. Price looked ashamed. “Not directly. Through Ms. Grant.”
Emma’s phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photo loaded.
It showed Lily standing outside Brightwood three weeks earlier, taking pictures through the office window.
Below it was one message:
ASK LILY WHAT SHE FOUND IN THE BLUE LEDGER.
Emma stared at the screen.
May you like
Then another message appeared.
BEFORE VIVIAN DOES.
