“And you protected him.”
“At first.”
“Another secret.”
“The first of many.”
Michael told me that years later he discovered Thomas had continued working with one of the men connected to the original c/rime network.
Money moved through property companies.
Insurance firms.
Political donations.
Foundations.
Michael kept records.
Evidence.
Then six years ago, photographs arrived.
Me leaving the grocery store.
Ryan picking up his children.
Emily leaving work.
Our house.
Someone had found Michael.
“So you faked your d/e/@/th.”
“Yes.”
“You made our daughter help.”
“Yes.”
“And Ryan?”
“He didn’t know.”
I felt sick.
“You let Emily sit with me while I cried.”
“She begged me to tell you.”
“But you refused.”
“I thought grief was safer than danger.”
I stared at him.
“You don’t get to decide which pain another person can survive.”
He lowered his head.
Before he could answer, someone approached.
Daniel.
I spun around.
