Chapter 7 - RACHEL'S CONNECTION
Rachel discovered she was not just a witness.
She was financially connected too.
Three years earlier, when Little Steps expanded, Natalie needed a guarantor for new playground financing.
Rachel had signed a limited guarantee.
Amount:
$85,000 maximum.
She remembered.
Natalie said:
“It’s just for equipment. I’ll refinance you off in a year.”
She never did.
Rachel had forgotten.
The finance company had not.
If Little Steps defaulted, Rachel could face exposure.
Natalie knew.
That was another reason she hid the investigation.
She told herself:
I’m protecting Rachel too.
When Rachel confronted her through counsel, Natalie said exactly that.
“You think I wanted your credit destroyed?”
Rachel laughed bitterly.
“You forced medicine into Rosie’s mouth.”
Natalie shouted:
“Because if she started repeating half-words to that investigator, they would shut everything down before anyone understood!”
There.
The admission was not:
I wanted to hurt Rosie.
May you like
It was worse in another way.
Natalie had decided a toddler’s voice was a business risk to manage.
