Chương 7
Martin spoke more softly. “There are people inside the company who care about you.”
“Do they care about Mia?”
“Yes.”
“Then why has no one called her?”
“Lawyers advised against direct contact.”
“Of course they did.”
After the call, Daniel opened his laptop and studied their finances.
He had earned more money than most people he knew and saved less than he should have. The house was technically owned by a trust. The cars belonged to the company. Mia’s school tuition came from an education fund controlled by Evelyn. Rachel’s medical bills had consumed much of Daniel’s personal savings before she died. What remained would cover several months if he was careful.
He had never been careful.
He canceled three subscriptions, then discovered two more he did not recognize. He found a recurring charge for a wine club Rachel had canceled during chemotherapy. The company had continued billing them for three years.
He called customer service.
A cheerful recorded voice thanked him for being a valued member.
While he waited, Mia shuffled into the kitchen wearing socks and one of Daniel’s old T-shirts over her sling.
“Are we poor?”
Daniel lowered the phone.
“No.”
“Are we going to be?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“No.”
Mia opened the refrigerator and stared inside.
“What are you looking for?”
“I don’t know.”
She closed it.
The customer service music continued playing from Daniel’s phone.
“Grandma says poor people say money doesn’t matter because they don’t have any.”
“Your grandmother has never been poor.”
“Have you?”
“No.”
“Mom was.”
“For a while.”
Mia leaned against the counter. “Did she hate it?”
“She hated asking for help.”
“Did Grandma help her?”
“Grandma offered.”
“That’s different?”
“Yes.”
The customer service representative answered. Daniel explained the wine club charges, was transferred twice, and eventually accepted a partial refund because arguing further required an energy he did not have.
Mia watched him hang up.
“You’re bad at money,” she said.
“I’ve heard.”
Detective Reed called that afternoon.
The recording from the hospital was clear. Evelyn’s words were audible from the moment she entered the room. The district attorney’s office intended to proceed with the intimidation charge.
The crash investigation remained open.
Peter Lang had retained counsel and withdrawn his initial statement. He was no longer claiming to have been driving, but he was not identifying Julian either.
“What does that mean?” Daniel asked.
“It means his first account is unreliable, and his lawyer has advised him not to give another one.”
“Can he do that?”
“He can decline to answer questions.”
“So he lies, then stops talking.”
“For now.”
“What about the vehicle?”
“It’s being examined.”
“Phone records?”
“We’re working on them.”
“Julian admitted to me he was driving.”
Reed went quiet.
Daniel tightened his grip on the phone.
“When?” the detective asked.
“Last night.”
“Where?”
“My sister’s apartment.”
“Anyone else present?”
“Mia was in the other room. She heard part of it.”
“Did you record him?”
“No.”
“Did he use the exact words ‘I was driving’?”
“No.”
“What did he say?”
Daniel repeated the conversation as accurately as he could, including his own question and Julian’s answer: You know the answer.
Reed did not sound encouraged.
“It matters,” Daniel said.
“It does. But it will be disputed.”
“He also said Peter grabbed the wheel.”
“That may be consistent with either person driving.”
Daniel paced between the kitchen and the window.
“He came here to pressure me.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“He said the company would fall.”
“Anything physical?”
“I hit him.”
Another silence.
“You hit him,” Reed repeated.
“Yes.”
“Did he strike you?”
“No.”
“Was your daughter present?”
“Not in the hallway.”
“But she knew.”
“Yes.”
Reed exhaled through his nose. “You need to stop helping his defense.”
“I know.”
“No more private meetings. No arguments. No contact unless it goes through attorneys.”
“I don’t have an attorney.”
“Get one.”
“With what money?”
“I can’t advise you on that.”
Daniel leaned against the counter.
Reed continued. “There’s something else. We obtained footage from the restaurant parking area. It shows Julian entering the driver’s side when they left.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“So arrest him.”
“The footage does not show who was driving at the time of the collision. The group stopped at a gas station twelve minutes later. The vehicle is off camera for several minutes.”
“He didn’t switch.”
“I’m telling you what his attorney will argue.”
“Mia saw him.”
“Yes.”
“The footage shows him.”
“At the restaurant.”
“Peter withdrew his lie.”
“He withdrew his statement.”
“You know what happened.”
“Knowing and proving are different jobs.”
Daniel looked at Mia’s math worksheet still lying on the table.
Number seven remained blank.
“What do you need?” he asked.
“Truthful evidence. Patience. And for you not to punch anyone.”
After the call, Daniel sat at the table and opened the hidden folder on his phone.
Julian’s voice message waited beneath a date and time.
He pressed play.
Danny, I screwed up. Peter’s going to say he was driving. Don’t argue right now. Mom knows. Just get to the hospital and stay with Mia.
The message lasted nine seconds.
Mia stood in the doorway.
Daniel stopped it.
“What was that?”
“Nothing.”
She looked at the phone.
He had lied to Reed that morning. He had lied to Mia just then. The ease of the second lie frightened him more than the first.
“Dad.”
He turned the screen off.
“It’s something from the night of the crash.”
“What?”
“A message from Julian.”
Her face became still. “You said he didn’t call.”
“I said he called after.”
“You said you didn’t know.”
“I didn’t know before the crash.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
Daniel placed the phone on the table.
Mia did not come closer.
“Why didn’t you give it to Detective Reed?”
He tried to choose an answer that would not make him sound like a coward. Every available answer was cowardice wearing a different shirt.
“I was afraid.”
“Of Grandma?”
“Yes.”
May you like
“She got arrested.”
“I was afraid before that. And afterward. I’m still afraid.”
