Chapter 4: What Barbara Was Afraid Of
Special Agent Carver met us at Richard's office at half past two.
She was younger than I expected.
Dark suit, no jewelry, a leather folder under one arm.
She shook my hand with a grip that meant business and sat down across from me without waiting to be invited.
"Mrs.
Harlow—"
"Ms.," I said.
"As of this morning."
She accepted that without blinking.
"Ms.
Harlow.
I want to be direct with you.
We've been watching Evan's financial activity for eleven months.
What Richard sent us this morning filled in the last gap we needed." She opened the folder and slid a single page across the desk.
"He's been routing money through a shell company registered in Delaware.
Small transfers, irregular intervals, designed to look like contractor payments."
I looked at the page.
Columns of numbers.
Dates going back nearly two years.
"He started moving assets before he filed," I said.
"Before he even told you the marriage was in trouble," Carver said.
"The Delaware company was incorporated fourteen months ago.
The house in Kelsey's name was purchased through it."
"So she knew."
Carver paused.
"That's what we need to establish."
Richard leaned forward.
"What does that mean for the divorce settlement?"
"It means the decree signed this morning was based on incomplete financial disclosure.
Which makes it challengeable." Carver looked at me directly.
"It also means Evan is looking at wire fraud.
Potentially tax evasion.
Depending on what else we find on the server records, possibly more."
I sat with that for a moment.
"What do you need from me?"
"We need you to not contact Evan, Barbara, or Kelsey.
We need you to give us access to any joint financial records you retained.
And we need you to be available to testify if this goes to trial."
"Done," I said.
"All of it."
Carver nodded and closed the folder.
She stood.
Then she paused at the door.
"One more thing," she said.
"Barbara Harlow.
Evan's mother.
Do you know if she had any involvement in the financial arrangements?"
I thought about her face outside the courthouse.
Not angry.
Frightened.
"She knew something," I said.
"I don't know how much."
Carver's expression didn't change.
"We'll find out."
She left.
The office went quiet.
Richard poured two glasses of water and set one in front of me.
"How are you doing?"
"I'm fine."
"Claire."
I looked up.
"You don't have to be fine," he said.
"Not in here."
I picked up the glass.
Set it down without drinking.
"He started planning this fourteen months ago.
While I was still making dinner.
Still going to his mother's house on Sundays.
Still thinking we were trying to fix something." I stopped.
"I kept thinking I was the problem.
That if I was different — if I could just be what she wanted, what he wanted—"
"You weren't the problem."
"I know that now." I looked at the page of numbers still sitting on the desk.
"I just need to make sure he knows it too."
My phone lit up on the table between us.
Evan's name on the screen.
Richard and I both looked at it.
"Don't answer," he said.
It rang four times.
Then stopped.
Then a text came through.
*We need to talk.
Alone.
Before this goes any further.
I made a mistake, Claire.
I know that.
But what you're doing right now will hurt people who don't deserve it.*
Richard read it over my shoulder.
"He's scared."
"Good," I said.
Then a second message arrived.
*Kelsey has nothing to do with the accounts.
Leave her out of this.
She's pregnant.*
I stared at that for a long time.
Then I typed back four words and hit send before Richard could stop me.
*I know about Marcus.*
The three dots appeared immediately.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Then nothing.
The screen went dark.
Richard exhaled slowly beside me.
"Well," he said.
"That's done it."
My phone rang again thirty seconds later.
May you like
Not Evan this time.
Barbara.
