Chapter 16 - The Hearing
The first court hearing was packed.
Reporters crowded the hallway.
Vincent kept Mia away from it.
She had already carried enough adult secrets.
Inside, Grant looked polished and calm.
Celeste looked smaller.
Daniel looked older.
The prosecutor played Grace’s voicemail.
Grant’s expression barely moved until she said his name.
Grant cut the brakes.
Then the mechanic testified.
Then the garage footage appeared.
Then the financial archive.
Grant’s attorney stood.
“My client never touched the vehicle.”
The prosecutor answered, “He paid the people who did.”
Celeste testified next.
She admitted authorizing the payment.
Admitted entering Vincent’s life at Grant’s direction.
Admitted using the forged paternity report to frighten Mia into revealing the bluebird’s location.
When she described forcing Mia to scrub the floor, Vincent had to leave the courtroom for a minute.
Marcus followed.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“That’s allowed.”
Vincent looked at him.
“I left my daughter with her.”
“You came home.”
“Too late.”
Marcus shook his head.
“No. Too late would have been never.”
Inside, Daniel testified last.
He admitted hiding the fraud.
Admitted ignoring Grace’s warning.
Admitted calling Grant instead of Vincent.
His voice broke.
“I was afraid of losing the company.”
The prosecutor asked, “What did you lose instead?”
Daniel looked toward Vincent.
“My family.”
That night, Vincent returned to the secure townhouse.
Mia was building a castle from couch cushions.
“Did the bad people lie today?”
“Some did.”
“Did Uncle Daniel?”
Vincent sat beside her.
“Not today.”
She thought about that.
“Does telling the truth fix everything?”
“No.”
“Then why do it?”
Vincent smiled sadly.
“Because it’s the only place fixing things can start.”
Mia nodded.
Then she asked the question he had feared.
“Are we going back home?”
Vincent looked at her.
“Only if you want to.”
May you like
She was quiet for a long time.
Then she said, “Only if the mop is gone.”
