Chương 7
“That isn’t an answer.”
“You should be worried about your wife inventing domestic abuse allegations.”
Emily’s face tightened.
I felt my own anger rise.
Before I could speak, Adrian did.
“Answer me.”
Celeste stared at him for several seconds.
Then she laughed softly.
“You really are your father’s son.”
It was an odd thing to say.
Adrian recoiled as if she had slapped him.
Raymond looked at me.
I had met Robert Westbrook perhaps six times in twenty years.
He was quieter than Celeste, fond of fishing, bad jokes, and leaving formal events before dessert.
I had never heard anyone accuse him of financial misconduct.
David leaned toward me.
“Did Robert have access to corporate payment systems?”
“Not that I know of.”
“He stepped down from operations twelve years ago.”
Celeste heard him.
“Robert has nothing to do with this.”
“Then why bring him up?” Claire asked.
Celeste turned on her.
“You children think every sentence requires an explanation.”
Claire’s face flushed.
“I’m thirty-six.”
“Then behave like it.”
The old family rhythm returned for half a second.
Celeste criticized.
Claire shrank.
Adrian controlled the room.
Nolan joked.
Only this time the pattern did not hold.
Claire picked up the overturned chair and set it upright.
“No.”
Celeste stared at her.
Claire took a breath.
“I’m not doing this anymore.”
“Doing what?”
“Pretending you didn’t hear things.”
Celeste’s face went still.
Emily turned toward her sister-in-law.
Claire looked miserable.
“I heard you two Thursday.”
Adrian stepped forward.
“Claire.”
She flinched but kept speaking.
“I came by to drop off Sophie’s birthday invitations.”
Emily stared at her.
“You were here?”
“I didn’t come inside.”
“You heard us?”
“From the hallway.”
Emily’s good hand rose to her mouth.
Claire’s eyes filled.
“I heard you crying.”
“Why didn’t you knock?”
Claire looked down.
That question hurt her.
“I was scared.”
Emily blinked.
“Of Adrian?”
Claire took too long to answer.
“Yes.”
Nobody moved.
Nolan whispered something I could not make out.
Adrian laughed, but there was no humor in it.
“This is unbelievable.”
Claire looked at him.
“You were screaming.”
“She was screaming.”
“No.”
Her voice shook.
“You were.”
Adrian pointed toward Emily.
“She was trying to steal company documents.”
Claire shook her head.
“I heard her say, ‘Let go of me.’”
The room went quiet.
Emily’s eyes closed.
Claire continued.
“Then I heard something hit the wall.”
She touched her own left arm unconsciously.
“And then you told her she was making you do it.”
Adrian’s face drained.
The sergeant immediately looked toward Claire.
“Ma’am, I need to take a formal statement from you.”
Claire nodded.
Celeste stood again.
“You heard an argument through a door.”
Claire stared at her mother.
“You knew.”
“I knew they had marital problems.”
“You knew.”
“Stop saying that.”
“You told me not to interfere.”
Celeste’s mouth opened.
Claire continued.
“Friday morning.”
Emily looked at Celeste.
The hurt in her face was quieter than anger.
“You knew by Friday?”
Celeste’s shoulders straightened.
“I knew there had been an argument.”
“My arm was broken.”
“I did not know the extent of your injury.”
“You saw the sling today.”
“I assumed you had been treated.”
That sentence changed something in Emily.
She stopped looking frightened.
She looked tired.
“Of course you did.”
Celeste blinked.
Emily nodded slowly.
“That’s how you survive everything, isn’t it?”
“Emily.”
“You change the question.”
Celeste’s lips tightened.
Emily looked around the room.
“It’s my home too.”
The sergeant spoke.
“Mrs. Westbrook, would you like to gather anything before you leave tonight?”
Emily nodded.
“Clothes.”
“Medication?”
“Yes.”
“Documents?”
“My passport.”
“Anything for your daughter?”
Emily looked at me.
“I need Sophie first.”
David checked his watch.
“It’s getting late.”
Emily stiffened.
“I know.”
“I’m not saying don’t go.”
He looked at me.
“I’m saying call family counsel before anyone appears at Robert’s house.”
I nodded.
Emily exhaled sharply.
“Everyone keeps saying counsel.”
Her voice rose unexpectedly.
“Can somebody just tell me whether I can pick up my own child?”
The sergeant answered carefully.
“If there is no custody order, you generally both have parental rights.”
“Generally.”
“I’m not trying to frustrate you.”
“You are.”
“I know.”
She looked away.
The officer let the silence sit.
Then Raymond said, “Who is your family attorney?”
“I don’t have one.”
“I know someone who can give you immediate guidance.”
Emily rubbed her forehead.
“I don’t want another favor.”
“It wouldn’t be a favor.”
“It always becomes one.”
She looked at me.
“Mom knows everybody.”
I almost defended myself.
Instead, I said nothing.
Emily walked toward the porch steps.
The night air had cooled.
Across the street, a garage door closed.
For several seconds she stood with her back to us.
Then she took out a breath.
“Call whoever you need to call.”
I stepped beside her.
“You sure?”
“No.”
That was the most honest thing anyone had said all evening.
I called Monica Alvarez, a family-law attorney I had known professionally for fifteen years.
She answered from what sounded like a restaurant.
There was music behind her and someone laughing.
“Margaret?”
“I need five minutes.”
“You sound serious.”
“My daughter needs immediate advice.”
The music disappeared as she moved somewhere quieter.
“Put her on.”
I handed Emily the phone.
She walked farther down the porch.
I deliberately stayed where I was.
Inside, David was speaking with the officers.
Celeste sat alone at the dining table.
Adrian stood in the kitchen with both hands on the counter.
Nolan held an ice cube wrapped in a dish towel to his lip.
Claire was giving her statement near the staircase.
A family could break apart without anyone leaving the house.
Ten minutes later, Emily returned my phone.
“What did Monica say?”
“She said not to turn Sophie into a tug-of-war.”
“That sounds like Monica.”
“She wants me to text Robert and ask if I can pick Sophie up as planned.”
“Was that the plan?”
Emily nodded.
“Usually she comes home at eight.”
I checked the time.
May you like
It was 7:34.
“Then do that.”
