Chapter 8: What Ray Was Careful About
Tom listened to everything I told him about the visit without interrupting.
When I finished, he was quiet for a moment.
"He said *what you think you can prove,*" Tom repeated.
"Yes."
"That's not a random phrase." Tom picked up his pen.
"That's someone who's thought about exposure before.
Someone who knows there's something to prove." He made a note.
"Did he seem rattled?"
"At the end.
When I mentioned I'd had the phone for twenty-four hours."
"Good.
Let him think about that." Tom set the pen down.
"I need to tell you something I found yesterday afternoon.
After you left."
I waited.
"Ray Callahan was involved in a civil dispute two years ago.
A former business partner sued him for misappropriating funds from their joint account.
The case was settled out of court.
The terms were sealed, but the filing is public record." He turned the screen toward me.
"The partner's name is listed.
I reached out this morning."
"You reached out to him?"
"Her.
A woman named Diane Marsh.
She called me back an hour ago." Tom folded his hands on the desk.
"She said Ray has a pattern.
He finds women in difficult marriages.
Gets close to the family.
Positions himself as reliable, helpful, present.
Then when the relationship ends — and it always ends — he uses what he knows about the family to protect himself."
The room felt smaller.
"What does that mean?" I said.
"Uses what he knows."
"In Diane's case, he had access to her business finances.
When she tried to end things, he threatened to report irregularities to her partners — irregularities he had helped create." Tom paused.
"I'm not saying he has anything on you.
But I am saying this is not a man who walks away quietly."
"He told me to be careful about what I think I can prove."
"Yes.
Which suggests he believes he has something.
Or wants you to believe he does." Tom looked at me steadily.
"Is there anything in your life — your finances, your work, anything — that could be used against you?"
I thought about it carefully.
"No," I said.
"Take your time."
"No.
I work a union job.
I pay my taxes.
I don't have debt beyond the mortgage." I paused.
"I went to his house this morning without telling my lawyer.
Is that something?"
Tom allowed himself a small, dry expression.
"It's not ideal.
But you returned his property and told him to stay away from your son.
That's defensible." He picked up his pen again.
"From this point forward, nothing without telling me first.
Agreed?"
"Agreed."
"I'm going to file the initial paperwork this week.
Once Lauren is served, things will move.
She'll need her own attorney.
Ray will likely stay out of the legal process unless Lauren tries to establish him as a parental figure, which I'll move to prevent immediately." He paused.
"How is Danny?"
"He asked for his mom this morning.
I put them on the phone."
"Good.
Keep doing that.
The more cooperative you are on access, the better your position looks."
I nodded.
"One more thing," Tom said.
He slid a piece of paper across the desk.
"Diane Marsh said she'd be willing to provide a statement about Ray's pattern of behavior.
It may not be directly admissible, but it establishes character.
And it tells a story."
I looked at the paper.
Diane Marsh's name and number.
"She doesn't know me," I said.
"No.
But she knows him." Tom looked at me.
"And she said — and I'm quoting her directly — *I wish someone had warned me before it went as far as it did.*"
I picked up the paper.
Outside Tom's window, the street was ordinary.
People walking.
A delivery truck idling.
The world going about its Tuesday as if nothing had shifted on its axis.
I folded the paper and put it in my pocket.
May you like
"What's next?" I said.
"Now," Tom said, "we make him careful about what *he* thinks he can prove."
