Chapter 6 - A Girl They Could Blame
By breakfast, strangers online called Rose guilty. Somebody posted her address and accused her of staging the rescue for a reward.
"Stop reading it," Eli told her over video chat.
"They're saying I hurt an old woman."
"You know what you did. Mrs. Callaway knows. Let the detective work."
Eli looked toward his dormitory door. Rose saw a campus officer standing nearby and felt a little better.
At eleven, Nathaniel arrived at Rose's cramped apartment with Amelia Park. He did not bring a photographer or a check.
"My mother asked me to make sure you have legal representation," he said. "Not to buy your silence."
Rose crossed her arms. "I don't want a favor I can't refuse later."
"Then hire a lawyer of your choice. I'll pay the bill without a condition attached."
Amelia placed the offer in writing, including Rose's right to decline.
A knock interrupted them. Her former coworker June stood outside.
"I know who shut off the cameras," she whispered. "The man Victoria hired asked me to hold the service door open. He said the rooftop recorder was making the wedding lights flicker."
"Would you tell the police?" Nathaniel asked.
June looked down. "Blake told us we'd lose our jobs if we talked to reporters. My mom needs the insurance."
"This isn't about reporters," Rose said. "Eleanor nearly died."
June nodded and wrote down the security consultant's name: Connor Voss.
She was halfway to the elevator when she turned back.
"One more thing. Victoria didn't call him Connor. She called him Miles's guy."
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Nathaniel closed his eyes for a moment. Then his phone lit up with a notice from the foundation secretary.
The emergency board meeting had already begun without him.
