Chương 6
Genevieve arrived wearing a cream sweater, black trousers, and no visible jewelry except small gold earrings. Without the red dress and mansion behind her, she looked younger and more tired. She carried no shopping bags. She ordered tea, then did not drink it.
“I’m not going to apologize in a way that makes you responsible for making me feel better,” she said.
“That’s considerate.”
“I deserve that.”
“You deserve worse than sarcasm.”
Genevieve folded the paper sleeve from her tea cup into smaller and smaller rectangles. “Arthur said the marriage had been over for years.”
“Did he also say I knew?”
“At first.”
“At first.”
“Then he said you knew emotionally, even if no one had said it out loud.”
Teresa almost laughed. Arthur could turn absence into consent if given enough syllables.
“When did you realize he was lying?”
“Last year.”
“And you stayed.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Genevieve looked toward the lobby entrance, where a family struggled with three rolling suitcases and a sleeping child. “Because by then my company depended on Marlowe. Because I had signed contracts. Because he said he was leaving. Because I loved him. Because I liked the life. Pick whichever answer makes me easiest to understand.”
“I don’t need you easy.”
“No,” Genevieve said. “You need me useful.”
The directness disarmed Teresa.
Genevieve explained that Harrison had introduced her to Arthur at an industry dinner two years earlier. Her firm did legitimate branding work at first. The fees grew after the Baltimore waterfront project began running over budget. Harrison suggested routing “market development payments” through her company and two others. Arthur said the funds would be used to secure overseas investors and repaid after refinancing.
“Did you know the invoices were inflated?”
“Yes.”
“How much did you keep?”
“Three hundred and eighty thousand over fourteen months.”
Teresa’s fingers tightened around her coffee cup.
Genevieve continued before she could speak. “Taxes took some. Payroll took some. I bought things. I paid my mother’s mortgage. I’m not going to pretend I was saving orphans.”
“The bags in my foyer.”
“Mostly mine.”
“Mostly?”
“Arthur bought the white one. It had a watch for you.”
Teresa stared at her.
“He said your anniversary was coming,” Genevieve said. “I told him it was grotesque.”
“But you carried it inside.”
“Yes.”
For several seconds, the only sound between them was the grinding of coffee beans behind the counter.
“What does Harrison have on Arthur?” Teresa asked.
Genevieve unfolded the paper sleeve, then began folding it again.
“Five years ago, Marlowe was competing for the Harbor South redevelopment. A city consultant told Arthur the proposal would receive a higher score if a local nonprofit became a project partner. Harrison arranged a donation to the nonprofit. The nonprofit paid the consultant’s brother for community outreach.”
“Was the outreach real?”
“Some of it.”
“Did Arthur know?”
“He approved the donation after Harrison described the arrangement.”
“That’s bribery.”
“I don’t know what a prosecutor would call it. Harrison calls it insurance.”
Teresa thought of Arthur outside the courthouse, shame passing over his face.
“Why hasn’t Harrison exposed him?”
“Because Arthur has records that could expose Harrison too.”
“Then they’re protecting each other.”
“They were. Until the Baltimore project began failing.”
Genevieve reached into her bag slowly and placed a small flash drive on the table.
The investigator across the lobby shifted in his chair.
“What is that?” Teresa asked.
“Copies of emails, invoices, and voice notes Arthur sent me.”
“Why do you have them?”
“Because I stopped believing promises.”
Teresa did not touch the drive.
“Victoria will say the chain of custody is worthless.”
“Victoria is probably right.”
“You know her name?”
“Arthur complains about her.”
“That may be her best credential.”
Genevieve’s mouth twitched, almost a smile.
“Why give this to me?” Teresa asked.
“Because Harrison thinks I’m the easiest person to blame. Arthur may let him.”
“Arthur asked you to leave.”
“He asked me to disappear until the investigation calmed down. There’s a difference.”
“And if I use this, what do you want?”
“Protection from Harrison.”
“I can’t give you that.”
“Then give it to someone who can.”
Teresa left the flash drive on the table until the investigator placed it in an evidence bag.
The files were authentic enough to frighten everyone and incomplete enough to help no one quickly.
There were emails between Arthur, Genevieve, and Harrison discussing consultant payments, schedule pressure, and “temporary placement” of funds. Arthur’s language was careful. Harrison’s was casual. Genevieve’s questions became more anxious over time. A voice note from Arthur said, “Once the sale closes, we unwind all of it and Teresa never needs to be involved.”
Another said, “I am not putting Ethan’s money anywhere near this.”
Victoria replayed that sentence in her office while Teresa sat across from her.
“At least he drew one line,” Teresa said.
“Or wanted Genevieve to believe he did.”
“You think he used Ethan’s trust?”
“I think we verify everything.”
Ethan’s trust had been created by Teresa’s father after Ethan’s birth. It held shares in Marlowe, a portfolio of municipal bonds, and proceeds from the sale of a family property in Maine. Arthur served as co-trustee with a bank. Teresa had declined the role because she feared mixing motherhood with money.
At the time, Arthur had kissed her forehead and said, “One of us should be able to sleep.”
Now she sat beneath fluorescent lights while a forensic accountant requested trust statements.
The bank took four business days to respond.
During those days, life refused to become only investigation. Ethan needed poster board for a school project. The bakery downstairs burned a batch of cinnamon rolls and filled the apartment with sweet smoke. Teresa bought socks, washed them with a red towel, and turned them pink. She attended a parent conference where Ethan’s teacher spoke gently about concentration and asked whether there were changes at home.
“Yes,” Teresa said.
The teacher waited.
“His father and I separated.”
“I’m sorry.”
May you like
“So am I.”
The teacher explained that Ethan had pushed another boy during recess after the boy called Arthur a thief. No one was injured, but Ethan had been sent to the counselor.
