Chapter 6 - THE LAWYER WITH TWO STORIES
Everett Halden met me at his downtown office as if I'd simply returned from a pleasant vacation.
"Evelyn," he said, rising from a leather chair. "You look remarkably well."
"Remarkable, considering the reports of my death."
His smile tightened.
Naomi sat beside me, a recorder on the table with Halden's knowledge and consent. I had no intention of having a private conversation he could later rewrite.
"Why did you petition to send Maya overseas?" I asked.
"Vanessa is her legal guardian. It is in the child's best interest."
"She was dragged across a ballroom. She has a bruised wrist."
"An unfortunate misunderstanding."
"And the forged statement from Julian?"
He tapped his pen. "I can assure you the signature was authenticated."
"By whom?"
"That information is privileged."
Naomi leaned forward. "A signed statement purportedly made by a dead man is not a magic shield, Everett. We'll seek court review."
For the first time he looked toward the door.
I took out the photograph of the security footage and slid it across his desk.
"Who was with you at my gates?"
Halden barely glanced at it. "A contractor."
"Does your contractor have my son's face?"
His pen stopped moving.
"I would choose my accusations carefully," he said.
"I have been careful my entire life. It's how I've survived men who mistake a quiet woman for a stupid one."
Outside, Theo called. A maintenance employee had found something taped beneath the nursery's old rocking chair: a child's music box and a memory card.
The card contained a single video. Julian appeared on screen, bruised and exhausted.
"If you're watching this, Mom," he said, "the money was never the real target."
May you like
He looked over his shoulder, terrified.
"It was the ledger. And I left the only key with Maya."
