Chapter 18 - What Lauren Knew
Lauren asked to see me before her hearing.
I almost refused.
Then Megan said, "You don't owe her forgiveness. But you may want answers."
So I went.
James waited outside.
Lauren sat behind glass in a county interview room, no makeup, no expensive necklace, no laugh ready to dismiss what she had done.
"Did you know Martin was being paid by the developer?" I asked.
"Not at first."
"When did you know?"
She stared at her hands.
"Before Thanksgiving."
My chest tightened.
"And you kept going."
"I thought if I stopped, he'd expose the forged documents and I'd lose everything."
"You mean face consequences."
She closed her eyes.
"Yes."
I asked about Emma.
Lauren cried then.
"I never wanted to hurt her."
"You hit her. Twice, according to Mom."
"I know."
"You built a file to take her from me."
"I know."
For once, she did not say but.
That mattered more than an apology.
"Why did you laugh at Thanksgiving?"
She looked at me through the glass.
"Because if I admitted I'd crossed the line, everyone would finally see me the way I already saw myself."
I sat back.
That was the closest thing to truth she had given me.
Before I left, she said, "Mom knew more than she's admitted."
I stopped.
"About what?"
Lauren swallowed.
"The first guardianship meeting. Martin didn't invite her."
"Then who did?"
"Mom did."
I stared at her.
May you like
Lauren's eyes filled.
"Rachel... Mom was the one who first said you were too tired to handle Emma alone."
