Chapter 13 - The Settlement Written First
"They prepared the agreement before the assault," Tessa said, studying the pages. "That matters."
"Then why leave it at my door now?"
"To frighten you. Or because one of them wants you to know the truth."
There was no covering letter. We gave the envelope and footage from the door camera to Officer Chen, who arranged to preserve the paper and packaging. The document itself wasn't a confession, but it lined up with Diane's words on the kitchen recording: Then she'll do what we need.
I sat in my car outside Tessa's office and called Ryan.
"Did you write that note?"
"Lena, I was trying to keep the company afloat."
"Did you write it?"
"Yes. But I didn't know she'd actually hit you."
I remembered him adjusting his phone to record the kitchen. I remembered the way he had watched Diane's second swing with his lips pressed together.
"You set a camera to film me fighting back."
"She said we'd make a scene and you'd agree to a settlement. She said nobody would get hurt."
"And after I got hurt?"
He couldn't answer.
"You could have stopped it," I said. "You could have told the truth afterward. You did neither."
Ryan began to cry. Once, I would have crossed an entire city to make him feel better. Now I felt nothing but exhaustion.
"Mom took the company records," he said finally. "If the auditors see the real ledger, she's finished."
"Where are they?"
A long pause.
"In the red cabinet at our warehouse. But you didn't hear it from me."
Before I could ask another question, someone took the phone from his hand.
May you like
Diane's voice came on the line.
"Stay away from that warehouse, Lena."
