Chương 6
Then she covered her face with both hands.
I moved toward her and stopped halfway.
I had spent years telling myself that Lydia did not like being touched when upset.
Maybe that had once been true.
Maybe I had turned one teenage shrug into a permanent policy because it was convenient.
I rested my hand on her shoulder.
She did not pull away.
“I told those people he was safe,” she said through her fingers.
“You told them what you believed.”
“I told Marian Feld he was one of the smartest operators I’d ever met.”
“That sounds like you.”
“It was a lie.”
“Did you believe it when you said it?”
She lowered her hands.
“Yes.”
“Then it wasn’t a lie.”
“It feels like one now.”
“That is hindsight being cruel.”
She stared at me.
“Since when are you philosophical?”
“Since somebody threatened my daughter during her wedding reception.”
The word daughter caught between us.
She looked away first.
Raymond returned.
“Peter Niles left at three twenty-seven.”
The ceremony had begun at three thirty-five.
“How?”
“His own car.”
“Where did he go?”
“No idea.”
Lydia stood.
“I’m calling him.”
“Don’t.”
“I know Peter.”
“So does Marcus.”
“That doesn’t mean Peter’s involved.”
“No.”
I held out my hand.
“It also doesn’t mean he isn’t.”
Lydia ignored me and called anyway.
I almost snapped at her.
Then I let her.
People did not become sensible simply because danger had finally been named.
Peter answered on the fourth ring.
“Lydia?”
She put him on speaker.
“Where are you?”
A pause.
“Why?”
“Where are you, Peter?”
Another pause.
“In the city.”
“You left before the ceremony.”
“I had a situation.”
“What situation?”
“Lydia, today is not a good day for this conversation.”
She looked at me.
“What did I sign?”
Silence.
Her face hardened.
“Peter.”
“You need to talk to Marcus.”
“I can’t.”
Another silence.
“What happened?”
“He left.”
Peter swore softly.
Then we heard what sounded like a car horn.
“You’re driving?”
“No.”
“You just said you were in the city.”
“I am.”
I watched Lydia absorb the contradiction.
“Where are the investor files?”
Peter did not answer.
“Are you with Marcus?”
“No.”
“Then where are you?”
He breathed out.
“Lydia, listen to me.”
His voice had changed.
The evasiveness disappeared.
“You need to preserve every message Marcus has sent you in the last six months.”
She looked at me.
I said nothing.
Peter continued.
“Do not delete anything.”
“Why?”
“Because you may need to show what you were told and when.”
Her face lost color.
“What are you talking about?”
“Peter,” I said.
He stopped.
“Eleanor?”
“Yes.”
A longer silence.
Then, very quietly, “I was hoping you weren’t there.”
“That makes one of us.”
“I can’t talk to you.”
“You’re already talking.”
“I have counsel.”
“Good.”
“Eleanor, I mean it.”
“Then have your counsel call mine.”
He hesitated.
That hesitation mattered.
“Who’s your lawyer?”
I asked.
“I’m not giving you that.”
“You just told my daughter to preserve evidence.”
“Yes.”
“Evidence of what?”
“I said I can’t talk.”
“Did Marcus falsify financial statements?”
“I can’t talk.”
“Did he use Lydia’s name without authority?”
“I can’t talk.”
“Did you know he forged my signature?”
The connection went silent.
Not dead.
Silent.
Peter was still there.
“Peter?”
“I didn’t know that.”
His answer was immediate enough to feel real.
“What did you know?”
“I’m ending this call.”
“Where are the files?”
“I don’t have them.”
“That wasn’t my question.”
“Goodbye, Eleanor.”
The line disconnected.
Lydia sat down again.
“He knew.”
“Something.”
“He knew something.”
“Yes.”
She pressed her phone against her forehead.
“I liked Peter.”
“You can still like someone who disappoints you.”
“That sounds exhausting.”
“It is.”
Raymond received another message.
“The attorney’s here.”
“Bring her in.”
A minute later, Julia’s associate entered carrying a leather folio and wearing the expression of someone who had dressed for a wedding emergency without knowing what kind.
Her name was Tessa Grant.
I had met her twice.
She was younger than Lydia by perhaps four years and possessed none of Julia’s appetite for intimidation.
That was probably useful.
“I need both of you to stop making calls,” she said before sitting down.
Lydia blinked.
“Hello to you too.”
“Hello.”
Tessa opened the folio.
“Now stop making calls.”
I almost liked her.
She placed a printed copy of the financing statement on the table.
“I’ve spoken to Julia.”
“Can we freeze the loan?”
I asked.
“We sent formal notice disputing the authorization tied to the Greenwich property.”
“Meaning?”
“Meaning North Harbor has been told that the collateral claim is contested and that the signature attributed to you is not yours.”
“Will they stop?”
“They should pause any enforcement involving that property while they investigate.”
“Should?”
Tessa looked at me.
“They are a lender, not a magical obedience machine.”
Lydia glanced at me.
I said, “She’s been spending time with Julia.”
Tessa ignored that.
“The bigger issue is Lydia’s personal guaranty.”
Lydia’s fingers tightened around the edge of the table.
“What does it say?”
Tessa slid another document toward her.
“Before we discuss that, are you represented independently?”
“By you.”
“No.”
Lydia frowned.
“You represent my mother.”
“I represent entities connected to your mother.”
“That sounds worse.”
“It can become worse.”
Tessa folded her hands.
“Your interests may not be identical.”
The sentence landed harder than any accusation.
Lydia looked at me.
I hated that Tessa was right.
“Find her someone,” I said.
Lydia snapped, “Stop arranging me.”
“I’m trying to make sure you have counsel.”
“You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“Turn people into logistics.”
Tessa looked down at her papers.
Raymond suddenly became very interested in the window.
I took a breath.
“Fine.”
I leaned back.
“You choose.”
Lydia stared at me, perhaps waiting for the trick.
There was none.
After several seconds, she said, “I don’t know any lawyers.”
“Then Tessa can give you names.”
Tessa nodded.
“Three, if you want.”
“Not people who work for Mom.”
May you like
“They won’t.”
“Not people who owe her favors.”
