Chapter 11: What He Said When They Told Him
Julian called me once after the warrant was executed.
I almost didn't answer.
Then I thought about the radiology room, and the intercom recording, and the $47,000, and I picked up.
"You did this," he said.
His voice was different — the control still there, but thinner now, like ice in early spring.
"You and your brother.
You built a case out of nothing."
"Out of your own records," I said.
"Your own transfers.
Your own accounts."
"I was protecting our assets.
You have no idea what kind of legal exposure a business like mine carries.
I was protecting both of us."
"You changed the life insurance beneficiary to your brother."
Silence.
"You bought a house for another woman while I was pregnant with your daughter."
More silence.
"You used my money to buy a building before we were even married and told me it went into savings." I kept my voice level.
"Which part of that was protecting both of us?"
"Clara." The gentleness came back — one last attempt.
"We can still fix this.
The charges aren't final.
If you speak to the DA's office, if you tell them this was a misunderstanding between spouses —"
"I'm not going to do that."
"I'm the father of your child."
"I know," I said.
"She'll know that too.
But she'll also know what I did when I found out who you were."
A long pause.
"You'll regret this," he said.
Quiet.
Final.
"Maybe," I said.
"But not today."
I ended the call.
May you like
I set the phone face-down on the nightstand.
I didn't pick it up again until morning.
