For the first time that afternoon, Vesna began to cry.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
She simply covered her mouth and let the tears fall.
I waited until she was ready to leave.
Before we separated, I gave her Margaret’s number and asked her not to contact Richard until she had received legal advice.
Then I made one final request.
“If he asks whether we’ve spoken, don’t lie for me. Just tell him you need time to think.”
She nodded.
As I walked toward my car, my phone rang.
It was Margaret.
“Claire, I’ve spoken with the investigator. You need to come to my office immediately.”
“What’s happened?”
“We’ve identified the company behind the $420,000 transfer.”
“And?”
She was silent for a moment.
“Claire, the company doesn’t exist in the way Richard claims it does. And the people connected to it are not ordinary investors.”
My hand tightened around the phone.
“What are they?”
