Chapter 7 - MICHAEL’S VERSION
Michael looked twenty years younger sitting across from me.
Not because he appeared innocent.
Because for the first time in decades, he looked like a frightened child.
“How much did Cassandra know?”
He rubbed both hands over his face.
“About which part?”
The question almost made me sick.
“All of it.”
He stared at the floor.
“The trust paperwork was her idea.”
“Did you know my signature was forged?”
“Yes.”
I sat back.
There are confessions you think you want until you hear them.
“Why?”
“We needed money.”
“You earn two hundred eighty thousand dollars a year.”
“It wasn’t enough.”
“For what?”
“The house.”
“The wedding.”
“Her family expected certain things.”
I laughed.
“You committed fraud because your wife wanted a larger house?”
“It wasn’t like that.”
“It was exactly like that.”
Michael’s face reddened.
“You don’t understand Cassandra.”
“No.”
“I’m beginning to.”
“She grew up around people with money.”
“So did you.”
“Not that kind of money.”
The stupidity of that sentence left me speechless.
“What happened in the corridor?”
He looked away.
“Cassandra and Mom argued.”
“I saw that.”
“Mom told her she was changing me.”
“Was she wrong?”
Michael’s eyes flashed.
“Cassandra lost her temper.”
“And slapped your mother.”
“Yes.”
“And then you grabbed Ellen.”
“I was trying to get Mom away from her.”
“You shoved her into a wall.”
“I didn’t mean for her to hit it.”
“But she did.”
He said nothing.
“And you walked away.”
“I panicked.”
“You returned to the reception.”
“I didn’t know what else to do.”
“You could have helped your mother off the floor.”
His face crumpled slightly.
“Dad.”
“No.”
I pointed toward the photograph.
“Don’t use that word as a shield.”
His eyes filled.
For one dangerous second, the father in me wanted to reach across the desk.
Then I remembered Ellen on the floor.
“Who was the man in the catering uniform?”
Michael froze.
That reaction was enough.
“You know him.”
“No.”
“You’re lying.”
“He wasn’t supposed to hurt anyone.”
Every muscle in my body tightened.
“What was he supposed to do?”
Michael realized what he had said.
“Michael.”
He stood.
“I need to go.”
I stood too.
“What was he supposed to do?”
“He was just supposed to get something.”
“What?”
Michael headed toward the door.
I stepped in front of him.
“For once in your life, stop running away from what you’ve done.”
His breathing became shallow.
“It was a letter.”
“What letter?”
“I don’t know.”
“From where?”
“Mom’s purse.”
The room went silent.
“Why?”
“Cassandra wanted it.”
“How did Cassandra know Ellen had a letter?”
Michael shook his head.
“She said someone told her.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
I grabbed the edge of my desk to steady myself.
“What was in it?”
“I swear, I don’t know.”
Michael looked genuinely terrified now.
“All Cassandra said was that if you read it, everything would change.”
“What would change?”
He whispered, “Who you think I am.”
Before I could ask another question, Rebecca entered.
Her expression told me something had happened.
“Robert, Detective Benton is downstairs.”
“Why?”
“She has an arrest warrant.”
Michael went completely still.
Rebecca looked directly at him.
May you like
“And it’s for Cassandra.”
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