Chapter 7: What Claire Knew All Along
Claire was arrested on a Tuesday.
I wasn't there.
I was in a physical therapy session on the third floor, learning to walk the length of the corridor without holding the rail, when Harlan called.
"It's done," he said.
"Conspiracy to commit grievous bodily harm.
Fraud.
Attempted coercion of a minor witness."
I stopped walking.
The therapist steadied me with a hand at my elbow.
"Where is she?"
"Processing.
She'll be arraigned tomorrow morning." A pause.
"She asked to speak to you."
"No."
"That's what I told them you'd say."
I stood there in the middle of the corridor, the rail a foot away, the window at the end showing a grey November sky.
"What about Ryan?"
"He retained new counsel this morning.
A man named Fielding — he's competent, but he's not Croft.
The DA is pressing for remand given the flight risk assessment.
Ryan owns property in two countries."
"Will they get it?"
"The judge is reviewing it now."
I thanked him and hung up.
The therapist — a quiet woman named June who had been working with me every day for a week — waited until I put the phone in my pocket.
"Ready to keep going?" she said.
"Yes," I said.
I walked the rest of the corridor without the rail.
That afternoon, Ms.
Parker came with a document I hadn't expected.
"Claire's attorney contacted me this morning," she said.
"Claire wants to make a deal."
"What kind of deal?"
"Full cooperation with the DA's case against Ryan.
In exchange for a reduced charge and a sentencing recommendation."
I looked at the document.
Claire's name at the top.
Her attorney's name below it.
"What does full cooperation mean?"
"It means she tells them everything.
The original plan.
Who approached whom.
The timeline.
The money.
Donna's role.
Gary Stills.
All of it." Ms.
Parker set the document on the table.
"It also means she testifies at Ryan's trial if it goes that far."
"And what does she get?"
"Reduced to a single count of fraud.
Likely a suspended sentence and community service, given her clean record and the cooperation." She paused.
"Emily, I want to be honest with you.
If she cooperates fully, it almost certainly ends Ryan.
The case against him becomes airtight."
"And if she doesn't cooperate?"
"The DA prosecutes both of them equally.
It's a harder case.
Longer.
More uncertain."
I was quiet for a moment.
"Did she say anything?" I asked.
"When she asked to speak to me — did she say anything?"
Ms.
Parker hesitated.
"She said she was sorry." A pause.
"She also said she'd been in love with Ryan for three years.
Before you, during your marriage, after.
She said she told herself it wasn't her fault because he'd pursued her."
The words settled over me like cold water.
Three years.
My wedding dress had been Claire's.
She'd lent it to me herself, standing in her bedroom, doing up the buttons at the back, telling me I looked beautiful.
"Let her cooperate," I said.
Ms.
Parker looked at me carefully.
"Are you sure?"
"It's not forgiveness," I said.
"It's strategy.
Ryan is the one who t@mpered with my car.
Ryan is the one who planned this.
Claire was weak and selfish and she made choices that nearly kjlled me — but Ryan built the plan.
I want him to face all of it."
Ms.
Parker nodded and picked up the document.
At the door, she paused.
"For what it's worth," she said, "Claire cried when I told her you'd agreed."
"I know," I said.
I didn't say anything else.
May you like
Some things don't need a response.
They just need to be set down and walked away from.
