Chapter 10
Tomorrow began with police at the door.
Not for us.
For Ethan.
My brother had been named in Peter’s confession.
Not as a conspirator.
As a witness Caroline had manipulated.
Years ago, Ethan had asked questions after seeing a woman’s scarf in my hospital room.
Caroline told him Claire’s family had threatened me.
Peter showed him forged restraining orders.
Voss told him stress could damage my recovery.
So Ethan backed away.
Now guilt was eating him alive.
He stood in the kitchen while Harris questioned him.
“I should have pushed harder,” Ethan said.
Harris answered, “Yes.”
I looked at the detective.
Harsh.
But true.
Ethan nodded like he deserved worse.
Claire listened from the doorway.
Later, Ethan tried to apologize to her.
“I failed you,” he said.
Claire did not comfort him.
Good.
“I needed someone to open a door,” she said. “You were close enough to hear it and still didn’t.”
Ethan’s face crumpled.
“I know.”
“I don’t forgive you today.”
He nodded.
“I understand.”
“But you can help now.”
He looked up.
“How?”
“Protect the children when I testify.”
Ethan cried then.
Not loudly.
Just enough to show the shame had found somewhere useful to go.
The preliminary hearing came the next week.
Caroline appeared in court with perfect hair and a soft blue dress.
A performance.
She looked like a wronged wife.
Until Harris played the recording from the night I found Claire.
They weren’t supposed to still be here.
Caroline’s face barely moved.
But the courtroom heard it.
Claire gripped my hand under the table.
Not because she loved me.
Because her body remembered fear.
I held her hand until she let go.
Caroline watched us.
For the first time, her perfect mask slipped.
Not anger.
May you like
Jealousy.
After everything, she still thought this was about winning me.
