Chapter 27 - Andrew Finally Speaks
Andrew asked to see me.
I almost refused.
Then I remembered Claire's evidence.
I went.
He looked terrible.
Prison had stripped away the polished man I married.
He sat across from me.
“Mom told me about Richard.”
“I'm sure she did.”
“He'll kill her.”
“Margaret?”
“Yes.”
I felt nothing.
That frightened me less than it once would have.
“Why are you telling me?”
“Because I know where Richard is.”
I stared at him.
“How?”
“He contacted me.”
“When?”
“Yesterday.”
“From prison?”
Andrew smiled weakly.
“People like Richard always find a way.”
“What does he want?”
“The ledger.”
“He thinks I have it?”
“He thinks Mom knows where the backup is.”
“There’s a backup?”
Andrew nodded.
My stomach dropped.
“Where?”
He looked down.
“Emily.”
“Where?”
“In our old house.”
The kitchen.
Of course.
My hands went cold.
“Where in the kitchen?”
Andrew couldn't look at me.
“The floor.”
I understood.
The place where they had left me.
The place where my blood had dried between the tiles.
They had hidden evidence beneath it.
“You knew?”
“Yes.”
“How long?”
“Before we married.”
I stood.
“Emily—”
“You knew all of it.”
“Not everything.”
“You knew enough.”
“I loved you.”
“Don't.”
“I did.”
“You don't get to call what you did love.”
He started crying.
I didn't.
“I was afraid of her.”
“So was I.”
That ended the conversation.
As I reached the door, Andrew said:
“I'm sorry.”
I looked back.
“For which part?”
May you like
He had no answer.
That was the last time I ever needed one.
