Chapter 9 - The Man Who Looked Away
They escaped through Ruth's greenhouse, past rows of roses and damp planting trays. A narrow path led to the public road. Mara nearly lost her balance on loose gravel, but Teresa braced her shoulder and kept moving.
By sunrise, they were in Caleb Reed's office. He watched the gate footage without speaking.
"You were there," Mara said.
"Yes."
"You watched my brother leave on an unsafe bus."
Caleb rubbed his face. "I saw the warning light. Luis said he'd called the fleet supervisor. Victor told me it was a sensor glitch. I argued with him. He called me an idiot, said the families were already late for the hospital fundraiser, and ordered the gate opened."
"So you let it go."
"I did."
Mara wanted to hit him. Why hadn't he stood in front of the wheels? She knew fear. She still hated his choice.
"You could have called the police," she said.
"I know."
"Stop saying that."
He handed her an envelope. Inside were emails from Victor after the crash, telling Caleb to settle claims quickly and avoid any independent review of the vehicle. Caleb's replies showed how he had helped bury the report.
"Why give me evidence against yourself?" Mara asked.
"Because it is evidence against me."
June read one page and whistled. "You could go to prison for obstructing this investigation."
"I should face whatever comes."
Caleb finally told them about his younger sister, Paige. She had a serious spinal injury and required ongoing rehabilitation. The Voss Foundation paid for her treatment. Victor had threatened to end that support if Caleb questioned the official story.
"That's why I stayed quiet," he said. "Not a defense. Just the truth."
Mara's anger did not disappear. But it became more complicated, which somehow made it worse.
Caleb's phone rang. He answered with a tight, "Paige?"
May you like
The voice on the other end was barely audible. "They found the files I copied. I'm hiding in the clinic. Caleb, they said they're taking me somewhere else."
The line went dead.
