Chapter 13
Charles Vaughn asked for a private meeting.
I refused.
Erin stayed.
So did my father.
Charles hated that.
Good.
He looked at Lydia too, seated near the window.
His wife.
Alive because she had spent three years hiding from the consequences of what he helped create.
“I made mistakes.”
My father almost laughed.
“Use a smaller word.”
Charles ignored him.
“I didn’t know Rocco intended Daniel to die.”
I looked at Lydia.
She gave no reaction.
Could be true.
“What did you know?”
“The route changed.”
“And?”
“That Daniel had become a problem.”
“For who?”
“Rocco.”
“And you.”
Silence.
Charles continued.
“I thought they were going to frighten him.”
I stared.
There it was again.
Every coward’s favorite plan.
Just frighten.
Just pressure.
Just teach.
Then consequences exceed intention and suddenly everyone becomes surprised.
“You helped remove Daniel’s daughters from support.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Rocco said leaving money attached to his family made us look weak.”
My father closed his eyes.
Charles looked at Erin.
“I’m sorry.”
She stared.
“Would you be sorry if the key stayed hidden?”
He had no answer.
Good question.
Then she continued.
“Would Celeste have poured champagne on someone else tonight and you still be sitting downstairs laughing?”
Silence.
Another good question.
Charles looked at me.
“What happens now?”
“Your authority ends.”
His face tightened.
“Entirely?”
“Yes.”
“No family accounts?”
“No.”
“No relief work?”
I almost smiled.
“Especially not that.”
His jaw hardened.
“You’re destroying decades of trust.”
Lydia laughed softly.
Everyone turned.
“What trust?”
She looked at her husband.
“You mean the years everyone trusted you enough not to check.”
That was the most accurate description of the problem.
Charles had survived because nobody important asked questions.
Daniel did.
So Daniel became disloyal.
Erin did.
May you like
So Celeste tried to make her look shameless.
The pattern ended there.
