Chương 5
A neighbor upstairs dropped something heavy.
Someone in the courtyard played music too loudly.
It was ordinary enough that Elena’s body began to understand she was no longer in the mansion.
Then her phone rang.
Unknown number.
She looked at it.
Rosa turned down the stove.
“You going to answer?”
“No.”
It rang again.
“Maybe hospital.”
“They have my number.”
“So?”
Elena answered.
“Hello?”
A woman said, “Ms. Cruz? My name is Karen Bell. I’m an attorney representing Mrs. Sophia Grant.”
Elena closed her eyes.
Of course.
“I don’t have anything to say.”
“I understand. I’m calling because there may be some misunderstandings about your employment status and compensation.”
Rosa watched her.
“What misunderstandings?”
“You have not been terminated.”
Elena almost laughed.
“Sophia told me I was finished.”
“Mrs. Grant was upset.”
“She kicked me.”
There was a pause.
“I wasn’t present, so I can’t speak to that.”
“Then don’t.”
“Ms. Cruz, I’m trying to make sure you’re protected financially while this situation is reviewed.”
The words were careful.
Too careful.
“What do you want?”
“Nothing tonight. I’d like to send an agreement confirming paid leave.”
“What kind of agreement?”
“Standard confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions.”
Rosa’s eyes sharpened.
Elena leaned back in the chair.
“You want me to sign something saying I won’t talk.”
“I want to ensure everyone is protected from public speculation while facts are established.”
“The police already have my statement.”
“That would not be affected.”
“What about Michael?”
Another pause.
“The agreement would concern public disclosures.”
Elena stared at the pasta sauce bubbling on the stove.
“No.”
“Perhaps review it before deciding.”
“No.”
“Ms. Cruz—”
“I said no.”
She hung up.
Rosa waited.
Elena put the phone down.
“Lawyer?”
“Yes.”
“Money?”
“Probably.”
“For silence?”
“Probably.”
Rosa stirred the sauce.
“How much?”
Elena looked at her.
“What?”
“I didn’t say take it. I asked how much.”
“I don’t know.”
“You should know what your silence is worth before you give it away for free.”
Elena stared at her mother.
Rosa shrugged.
“I raised you. I did not raise a saint.”
That made Elena laugh again.
Then she started crying.
Not dramatically.
Her face simply folded.
Rosa turned off the burner and sat beside her.
Elena pressed her good hand against her eyes.
“I should have told him.”
“Yes.”
“I thought I was protecting my job.”
“You were.”
“And maybe Noah would have been safer if I lost it.”
“Maybe.”
Elena looked up.
She had expected reassurance.
Rosa never gave reassurance merely because it was needed.
“I hate when you do that.”
“What?”
“Agree with the worst thing I say.”
“You know what I hate? When you ask me to lie politely.”
Elena wiped her face.
Rosa pushed a napkin toward her.
“You made a mistake.”
“A big one.”
“Yes.”
“I don’t know how to fix it.”
“You tell the next truth faster.”
The next morning Michael called.
Elena considered ignoring him.
She answered on the fourth ring.
“Hello?”
“Did Sophia’s attorney contact you?”
No greeting.
No small talk.
“Yes.”
“What did they offer?”
“I don’t know. Paid leave and some confidentiality agreement.”
“Did you sign anything?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Elena’s back stiffened.
“Don’t say good like you’re my boss.”
Silence.
She regretted it immediately.
Then Michael said, “You’re right.”
Elena sat on the edge of her bed.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t apologize.”
“I was rude.”
“You were accurate.”
She could hear Noah in the background making a repetitive little sound, perhaps pushing a toy car.
Michael lowered his voice.
“I hired separate counsel for the household staff.”
Elena frowned.
“What?”
“Independent lawyer. Not mine.”
“I can get my own.”
“I know.”
“I don’t need charity.”
“It’s not charity. You were injured in my home while employed by my family.”
“Your wife’s lawyer already seems very concerned with protecting me.”
“That isn’t funny.”
“It wasn’t really a joke.”
He exhaled.
“I need to ask you more questions.”
“Michael.”
He stopped.
“You’re angry at me.”
“Yes.”
The answer came so quickly she almost smiled.
“Okay.”
“I’m also aware that being angry at you is convenient.”
“What does that mean?”
“It means I should have known what was happening in my own house.”
Elena looked toward her kitchen.
Rosa was making coffee.
“You traveled.”
“I lived there.”
“You worked.”
“I lived there.”
She said nothing.
Michael continued.
“I am not going to make you carry my part because you’re easier to blame than Sophia.”
Elena swallowed.
“That sounds rehearsed.”
“It isn’t.”
“It sounds like something your lawyer told you.”
“My lawyer told me not to call you.”
That made her smile despite herself.
“Why?”
“Because apparently I’m a witness.”
“You are.”
“I hate this.”
“I know.”
“No, you don’t.”
“No. Probably not.”
That stopped him.
Then Noah shouted something unintelligible in the background.
Michael’s voice changed.
“Hold on.”
She heard him set the phone down.
A cupboard closed.
Noah protested.
Michael said, “You cannot eat dog treats.”
Elena blinked.
There was no dog in the Grant house.
Then she remembered the pantry had a bag left from Michael’s sister visiting with her Labrador.
Noah shouted again.
Michael returned.
“Sorry.”
“Did he eat one?”
“No.”
“You’re sure?”
“Now I’m less sure.”
Elena laughed.
Michael did too, once.
The normality of it hurt.
“What do you need to ask?” she said.
“Not by phone.”
“Why?”
“Because I want to show you something.”
Two hours later, Elena returned to the mansion.
She did not wear her uniform.
That mattered more than she expected.
Michael met her in the library.
Noah was with a temporary nanny hired through an agency that morning. Michael had apparently rejected two candidates before nine o’clock because one had taken a personal call during the interview and the other referred to toddlers as “little clients.”
Elena found that excessive.
She also understood.
On the library table sat a tablet, a folder, and the little blue rabbit.
Michael touched the rabbit’s broken clip.
“I checked the cameras.”
“They were offline.”
“The foyer cameras were.”
May you like
Elena looked at him.
Michael turned the tablet around.
