Chương 12
Then the family-room door opened.
Adrian stood there.
His face looked older.
Olivia stiffened.
Clara saw it immediately.
“What happened?”
Adrian entered and closed the door.
Ruiz remained outside.
Adrian looked at Olivia.
“I need to tell you something, and I don’t know the right way.”
Olivia’s face tightened.
“Then just say it.”
Adrian sat in the chair across from her.
“The police found messages between your mom and someone she was talking to online.”
Clara felt her stomach tighten.
“What kind of messages?”
Adrian looked at her.
“She was asking about making it look like a caregiver caused an accident.”
Marisol whispered, “Jesus.”
Olivia went still.
Adrian continued.
“They don’t know yet whether the person she was talking to is real, someone she knows, or an anonymous account.”
Clara’s mouth went dry.
“What did she ask?”
Adrian looked away.
“She asked how much evidence would be enough to make a father believe a nanny had endangered a baby.”
Clara felt heat rise through her chest.
The word nanny irritated her for no sensible reason.
She had never called herself that.
Vanessa had.
Usually when she wanted Clara to sound temporary.
Olivia whispered, “She was planning it.”
Adrian rubbed both hands over his face.
“That’s what they’re investigating.”
“Was she planning to hurt Emma?”
He lowered his hands.
“I don’t know.”
“You always say that.”
“I know.”
“Did she?”
Adrian’s voice broke slightly.
“I don’t know.”
Olivia stood abruptly.
The juice bottle fell from her lap.
It hit the floor and rolled under the table.
“I hate that answer.”
Adrian stood too.
“So do I.”
“No, you don’t.”
“Liv.”
“You got to not know everything.”
Adrian froze.
Olivia’s face was red now.
“You didn’t know she checked my phone.”
“I know.”
“You didn’t know she left Emma.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t know she hated Clara.”
“I knew some of that.”
Olivia stared at him.
Clara felt Adrian realize too late that honesty had made the sentence worse.
Olivia laughed once.
“You knew?”
“Not like this.”
“You knew she hated her.”
“I knew she was jealous.”
“And you left us there.”
Adrian opened his mouth.
Nothing came.
Clara almost interrupted.
Then she stopped herself.
This belonged to them.
Adrian sat back down.
“Yes.”
Olivia blinked.
The anger left her face for a second, replaced by confusion.
Adrian continued.
“I knew your mother was angry and jealous.”
He swallowed.
“I thought it was adult unhappiness.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I thought we were failing at being married.”
Olivia frowned.
“I didn’t think she was dangerous.”
“That’s still not fair.”
“No.”
“You should have stayed.”
“Yes.”
“You should have listened.”
“Yes.”
“Stop agreeing.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Olivia’s hands clenched at her sides.
Clara said quietly, “Tell her what you’re going to do.”
Adrian opened his eyes.
He looked at Clara, then at Olivia.
“I’m going to make sure you and Emma stay somewhere Vanessa cannot access.”
Olivia listened.
“I’m going to tell the police everything I know, including things that make me look bad.”
Her expression changed slightly.
“I’m going to give them every account, device, password, and record they ask for if my attorney says I legally can.”
Clara almost corrected the attorney qualification, then decided it was probably the first sensible thing he had said.
Adrian continued.
“I’m going to ask Rachel to stay with you.”
Olivia’s chin lifted.
“And you?”
“I’ll stay too, if you want me there.”
She hesitated.
“Where?”
“Rachel’s place.”
“That’s small.”
“It is.”
“She has one bathroom.”
“I remember.”
“And her cat hates you.”
Adrian almost smiled.
“The feeling is mutual.”
Olivia’s mouth twitched.
The tension eased for half a second.
Then she looked at Clara.
“What about her?”
Adrian followed her gaze.
Clara stiffened.
“I’m going home.”
Olivia shook her head.
“No.”
“Olivia.”
“Mom knows where you live.”
Clara felt a chill.
Adrian looked at her sharply.
“Does she?”
“She signs payroll paperwork.”
“And your emergency contact information is in the household records.”
Clara had forgotten that.
Marisol said, “She knows the address.”
The room changed.
Clara looked toward the door.
“That doesn’t mean she’s coming after me.”
Adrian’s voice hardened.
“She tried to frame you for hurting Emma.”
“We don’t know exactly what she intended.”
“Clara.”
She recognized the tone immediately.
It was the same one he used when discussing contractors who had missed deadlines.
She hated that it steadied her.
“I’m not moving into your sister’s apartment.”
“Nobody said that.”
“Olivia did with her face.”
Olivia looked offended.
“My face didn’t say anything.”
“Your face is loud.”
Marisol laughed despite herself.
Olivia almost smiled.
Adrian looked between them.
“What if you stay somewhere else tonight?”
“Where?”
“A hotel.”
“I’m not letting you pay for a hotel.”
“I didn’t say I would.”
“You were about to.”
“Yes.”
“Then no.”
Olivia groaned.
“Adults are so stupid about money when something bad happens.”
All three adults looked at her.
“What?”
She folded her arms.
“If somebody is trying to hurt you, you go somewhere safe.”
Clara said, “It’s more complicated.”
“Why?”
Clara opened her mouth.
Nothing useful came.
Olivia nodded triumphantly.
“Exactly.”
Marisol pointed at her.
“Do not become unbearable because you are correct one time.”
“I’m correct a lot.”
“That is already becoming unbearable.”
Clara laughed.
This time the laugh did not hurt.
Adrian watched her, and for a second the room seemed to remember the tension Vanessa had imagined between them.
Clara looked away first.
A knock came at the door.
Ruiz entered.
“Mr. Mercer.”
Adrian stood.
“Did something change?”
“Yes.”
Ruiz looked at Clara.
Then at Olivia.
“Mrs. Mercer has asked for an attorney and stopped speaking with investigators.”
Adrian’s jaw tightened.
“That’s her right.”
“It is.”
“Is she being charged?”
Ruiz did not answer immediately.
“The prosecutor authorized charges related to child endangerment and evidence tampering while the rest is reviewed.”
Olivia went pale.
Adrian sat again.
Ruiz continued.
“She will not be released tonight.”
Clara felt relief.
It lasted less than a second.
May you like
Ruiz’s expression had not relaxed.
“What else?” Clara asked.
