Chapter 8 - THE MAN SHE TRUSTED
Emily confronted Arthur.
He did not deny receiving the records.
“I was trying to protect you.”
“Everyone says that right before admitting they violated me.”
Arthur flinched.
“I needed to know whether Ryan or the Blakes were building a competency case.”
“So you forged my authorization?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
Arthur opened his email.
The authorization had come from Emily’s personal account.
She had not sent it.
Someone had access to her email.
Ryan knew her old password.
So did Arthur’s assistant.
And Emily’s grandmother had once kept passwords written inside a kitchen drawer.
The list of possible suspects kept expanding.
Emily said, “I’m done trusting anyone.”
Arthur nodded sadly.
“That may be wise.”
She left.
Outside, Ryan waited.
“You were listening?”
“No.”
“Then why are you here?”
“Because Madison called me.”
Emily stopped.
“What did she want?”
“She offered me money.”
“For?”
“To testify that you knew about the land deal.”
“How much?”
“Five million.”
Emily laughed.
“And?”
“I said no.”
“Should I applaud?”
“No.”
Ryan looked at her.
“You should know she’s scared.”
Emily studied him.
“Why?”
“She asked me where the recorder is.”
“She already knows I have it.”
“No. She asked where the original is.”
Emily frowned.
“The original recording?”
Ryan nodded.
“She thinks there’s more.”
That night, Emily listened to every recovered file from the recorder.
Most were mundane.
Her grandmother speaking with contractors.
Arthur discussing taxes.
Neighbors visiting.
Then Emily found a recording dated fourteen years earlier.
Ryan’s voice.
Emily froze.
Fourteen years earlier, she had never met him.
Ryan said:
“Mrs. Calloway, I understand what you’re asking.”
Her grandmother replied:
“No, young man. You understand what Grant Blake is asking.”
Emily stopped breathing.
Ryan had known her grandmother.
Long before their first date.
The recording continued.
Ryan:
“If I refuse, he’ll find someone else.”
Grandmother:
“Then let him.”
Ryan:
“He says the girl doesn’t know what she owns.”
Grandmother:
“My granddaughter is not a parcel of land.”
Emily’s eyes filled with tears.
Ryan:
“I don’t want to hurt her.”
Grandmother:
“Then stay away from her.”
The recording ended.
Emily sat in darkness.
Ryan had not merely known about Miller’s Ridge before their first date.
He had been sent toward her fourteen years ago.
Her phone rang.
Ryan.
Emily answered.
“You met my grandmother.”
Silence.
Then Ryan whispered:
“Yes.”
May you like
Emily closed her eyes.
“And you married me anyway.”
