Chapter 4
The missing documents involved a boutique foreign-rights agency called Marlowe International.
Marlowe represented smaller overseas publishers that licensed American books for translation.
D’Angelo House had used the firm occasionally for years.
But under Harlan, its volume had increased sharply.
Rebecca Shaw, the publishing house’s chief financial officer, explained the issue.
“Marlowe is taking a fifteen-percent agency commission.”
“Is that high?” Elisa asked.
“For this kind of work? Very.”
“Did Harlan approve it?”
“Yes.”
“Meredith?”
Rebecca hesitated.
“She recommended Marlowe on several titles.”
Marciano looked toward Elisa.
She ignored him.
“Keep going.”
The contracts themselves were valid.
The books existed.
Foreign editions had been published.
The question was why D’Angelo House was paying such expensive commissions when other agents charged less.
Rebecca wanted an independent review.
Elisa agreed.
That decision had an immediate cost.
Two translation deals scheduled for Frankfurt stalled.
An author’s agent complained.
The sales team blamed Marciano for letting a family fight disrupt the fall list.
For the first time, Elisa understood why people hid ugly things.
Truth had operating expenses.
That evening Harlan arrived for his scheduled time with Luca.
The exchange happened in the townhouse sitting room with a child specialist nearby because the birthday fight had frightened Luca.
Harlan looked tired.
He hugged his son.
Luca hugged him back.
Elisa hated how relieved she felt.
Harlan was still Luca’s father.
Nothing about that had become simple.
Before leaving, Harlan looked at Elisa.
“Meredith and I had an affair.”
There it was.
No dramatic discovery.
No one bursting through a door.
Just seven words in a quiet hallway.
Elisa held the banister.
“How long?”
“About a year.”
“Was she in my house?”
“Yes.”
“While I was there?”
He looked down.
“Yes.”
“And your mother knew.”
A pause.
“Yes.”
Elisa closed her eyes.
Harlan continued.
“It ended.”
“When?”
“Recently.”
“The lipstick looked recent.”
He did not answer.
She opened her eyes.
“Why tell me now?”
“Because Meredith is afraid the audit will make it look like the contracts were part of the affair.”
“Were they?”
“No.”
Harlan answered too quickly.
Elisa heard it.
So did Rachel, standing fifteen feet away.
May you like
The affair was real.
But Harlan was more afraid of the contracts.
