Chapter 8: The Part Where They Fight Back
Raymond called me on Saturday morning.
I answered.
Grace had told me to keep answering — every call was a record.
"You went to the AG's office," he said.
"Yes."
"Daniel." His voice had changed from the office meeting.
The recalculating quality was gone.
What was left sounded closer to fear.
"You understand what you've done.
You've made this into something that can't be walked back."
"It couldn't be walked back when Lily called me at ten forty-three," I said.
"You just didn't know that yet."
"I'm going to release those emails.
Every one of them.
I'll send them to your supervisor, to the press, to—"
"Raymond." I kept my voice even.
"I told my supervisor about the emails before Grace sent the package.
I explained the context.
I gave him the full thread, not the excerpts you were planning to use." A pause.
"He said, and I'm quoting, that they showed nothing improper and that he was more interested in what you were planning to do with them."
Silence.
"You have nothing," I said.
"You built a plan on the assumption that I wouldn't look closely, that I trusted you, and that I'd want to keep things quiet to protect my career.
You were wrong about all three."
"Vanessa had nothing to do with your children," he said.
"Whatever happens with the money — she didn't know about that night."
"She structured the fraud that made that night possible.
That's enough."
"Daniel, listen to me—"
"I'm going to say this once." I walked into the kitchen and stood at the counter.
"You told my wife the cameras were off.
You helped her plan to take my money.
You knew she was leaving two children alone that night and you said nothing.
And then, when I found out, your first move was to threaten my career." I set my hand flat on the counter.
"I don't have anything else to say to you.
The next voice you hear from my side will be a prosecutor's."
I ended the call.
Twenty minutes later, my phone rang again.
Not Raymond.
Not Claire.
Phillip Marsh, Claire's attorney.
"Mr.
Calloway," he said, "my client would like to propose a settlement conversation.
She's prepared to cooperate fully with the AG investigation in exchange for consideration on the divorce terms."
I had expected this.
Grace had expected it too — she had told me Thursday that Claire would eventually separate herself from Raymond once she understood the exposure.
"Have her cooperation offer in writing to Grace Ellison by Monday morning," I said.
"Full disclosure.
Every conversation, every transfer, every instruction Vanessa Pryce gave her.
Names, dates, amounts."
"That's a significant ask."
"It's the only ask.
If it's not on Grace's desk by Monday, the offer expires."
A pause.
"I'll convey that."
"One more thing," I said.
"Claire's cooperation doesn't change the custody arrangement.
I want that understood before any conversation starts."
"Understood," Marsh said carefully.
I hung up and stood in the kitchen for a moment.
Through the baby monitor, Noah was making the small contented sounds he made when he was about to fall asleep on his own.
From upstairs, I could hear Lily moving around her room — the specific pattern of footsteps that meant she was rearranging her bookshelf, which she did when she was processing something.
May you like
I made two cups of coffee out of habit, then poured one back.
I stood at the window with the remaining cup and waited for Monday.
