Chapter 9 - DAVID'S MONEY
David’s personal finances were worse than Mark knew.
Luxury renovation.
Boat loan.
Private-school tuition.
Failed restaurant investment.
Debt:
approximately $1.9 million.
North Bridge was not merely a business.
It was keeping him afloat.
Trust fees represented almost 40% of its revenue.
If the education trust terminated the contract, David faced real financial trouble.
Then text messages.
DAVID to RICHARD:
If Sarah’s archive gets out, they’ll claw everything back.
RICHARD:
Not everything.
DAVID:
Enough.
Then, two days before Eli’s visit:
DAVID:
You said the kid knows the phrase.
RICHARD:
Sarah’s draft says so.
DAVID:
Then ask him.
RICHARD:
Gently.
Important.
Richard did not instruct violence.
Then after Eli refused:
DAVID:
He’s acting just like her.
RICHARD:
Do not scare him.
That helped Richard.
Then basement camera had no audio, but motion showed Richard standing several feet back.
After first slap:
he stepped forward.
After second:
he did not physically intervene before Eli ran.
Why?
He said shock.
Possible.
Cowardice.
Also possible.
David’s violence was his.
Richard’s failure was different:
he created the interrogation,
May you like
brought the child into it,
and did not stop it fast enough.
