Chương 7
Lucinda sank back into the chair.
Andrew stared at the photograph.
Alex began trembling beside him.
Elizabeth moved toward the boy.
Andrew’s eyes shifted to the remaining file.
The audio recording was dated the night Caroline died.
Lucinda whispered, “Don’t play it.”
Andrew looked at her.
For the first time all evening, there was no command in her face.
Only fear.
He clicked the file.
Caroline’s voice emerged beneath a wash of static.
It was faint at first, as though the phone or recorder had been hidden under fabric.
“Give it back.”
Andrew’s hand left the trackpad.
Lucinda closed her eyes.
A second voice answered.
Hers.
“You have no idea what you’re doing.”
Caroline sounded farther away now.
“I know exactly what I’m doing.”
“You think because you found a few statements you understand anything.”
“I understand enough.”
A dull bump interrupted the recording.
Then Caroline again.
“You used Andrew’s authorization.”
Lucinda opened her eyes.
Andrew did not look at her.
On the recording, Lucinda said, “He signs what I put in front of him because he trusts me.”
Andrew’s face tightened.
Caroline answered, “Not anymore.”
Silence followed for several seconds.
Alex made a small sound and pressed the rabbit to his face.
Elizabeth crouched beside him.
The recording continued.
Lucinda’s voice became lower.
“You are going to destroy this family over money that was already ours.”
“It wasn’t yours.”
“It came from my father.”
“It was placed in trust for Andrew and Alex.”
“Do not lecture me about my own family.”
“Then stop stealing from it.”
Andrew inhaled sharply.
Lucinda looked at him.
“It wasn’t stealing.”
He raised one hand without taking his eyes from the screen.
“Don’t.”
Caroline’s voice returned.
“I copied everything.”
“You copied documents you don’t understand.”
“I understand forged signatures.”
Andrew finally looked at his mother.
Lucinda’s lips parted.
The recording went on.
“I understand the company is connected to Victor Hale.”
At the name, Lucinda’s posture stiffened.
Caroline continued.
“I understand he came here twice, and I understand you lied about knowing him.”
Lucinda’s recorded voice changed.
“Lower your voice.”
“Why?”
“Alex is upstairs.”
Andrew looked toward his son.
Alex had stopped breathing normally again.
Elizabeth put one hand against his back.
Caroline said, “He’s asleep.”
Lucinda’s voice came quickly.
“No, he isn’t.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Andrew looked at Alex.
The boy stared at the laptop.
Caroline’s next words were quieter.
“What do you mean?”
A creak sounded through the recording.
Then Lucinda said, “I saw him in the hallway.”
Andrew’s jaw clenched.
Caroline swore under her breath.
Footsteps followed.
Several.
The recorder scraped against something.
Then Caroline called, “Alex?”
The boy beside Andrew flinched as if the dead voice had spoken directly into his ear.
Andrew reached toward him and stopped before touching.
Alex looked at his hand.
After a moment, he moved closer on his own.
Andrew placed his palm lightly against his son’s shoulder.
On the recording, Caroline’s footsteps moved away.
Lucinda said, “This conversation is not finished.”
Caroline answered, “It is for tonight.”
“No.”
“Move.”
“Give me the card.”
“No.”
A door slammed.
Then only breathing.
Caroline’s.
Fast but controlled.
The sound shifted.
A car door opened.
Andrew looked at Elizabeth.
“Blue car,” she whispered.
Lucinda stared at the table.
A seat belt clicked.
Caroline’s voice came closer to the recorder.
“Alex, honey, what are you doing out here?”
Andrew shut his eyes.
Alex’s fingers clamped around the rabbit.
Caroline said, “You were supposed to be in bed.”
A tiny sound answered her.
Not words.
A child’s whimper.
Andrew bent forward as if struck.
Lucinda’s recorded voice approached from a distance.
“Caroline.”
The car door slammed again.
Caroline said, “Stay in the back seat.”
Lucinda’s voice came nearer.
“You cannot drive away with those files.”
“Yes, I can.”
“You are being hysterical.”
Caroline laughed once.
There was no humor in it.
“I’m taking Alex to my sister’s.”
“You are not dragging him into this.”
“He’s already in it.”
Andrew’s head rose.
Caroline continued.
“He heard you threaten me.”
Lucinda’s recorded voice hardened.
“I did not threaten you.”
“You said if I went to Andrew, you would make sure he believed I was unstable.”
“That was not a threat.”
“It was exactly a threat.”
Lucinda at the table whispered, “I was angry.”
Andrew did not respond.
On the recording, Caroline said, “You went through my medication.”
“I was concerned.”
“You photographed the bottles.”
“You were taking sleeping pills.”
“After my husband’s mother started entering my bedroom while I was gone.”
“I never entered your bedroom.”
“Then how did you know where they were?”
There was no answer.
Elizabeth looked toward Lucinda.
For the first time, Lucinda looked ashamed.
Not frightened.
Ashamed.
It made her seem suddenly smaller.
Caroline’s voice softened.
“Move away from the car.”
Lucinda said, “Give me the card.”
“No.”
“Caroline.”
“No.”
A car door opened.
Another.
Then the sound became muffled again.
Footsteps followed on stone.
Andrew frowned.
“They went back inside.”
Elizabeth nodded.
Alex whispered, “Rabbit.”
Andrew looked at him.
The boy touched the torn seam in the toy’s back.
“She put it.”
Andrew’s eyes filled.
He blinked hard.
“Inside?”
Alex nodded.
“Before stairs.”
The recording carried the sound of another door opening.
Caroline’s breathing grew louder.
Lucinda said, “You are behaving like a child.”
Caroline answered, “I’m protecting mine.”
“From me?”
“Yes.”
Lucinda at the table stared at the laptop as though she wanted to break it.
The recording footsteps changed from flat floor to steps.
Slowly upward.
Andrew’s hand tightened on Alex’s shoulder.
Caroline said, “Don’t follow me.”
Lucinda said, “You are not taking that upstairs.”
“I’m taking it somewhere you won’t find it.”
“You think hiding proof makes you clever?”
“No.”
Caroline’s voice wavered.
“I think getting through tonight makes me alive.”
Andrew’s face went white.
Elizabeth pressed her lips together.
On the recording, Lucinda stopped answering.
Only footsteps remained.
Then fabric rustled.
A drawer opened somewhere.
Caroline whispered, “Alex, give me Bunny.”
May you like
The boy beside Andrew began to shake.
Elizabeth moved closer.
