Chapter 10 - Margaret Comes to the Door.
Margaret arrived three nights later.
She came alone.
At least, she appeared to be alone.
Tessa saw her through the camera.
“Don’t open it.”
I didn’t.
Margaret rang the bell again.
Then she knocked.
“Claire.”
Her voice carried through the door.
“I know you’re in there.”
Maisie was asleep.
I stepped closer but kept the deadbolt locked.
“You need to leave.”
“We should talk.”
“No.”
“This has gone far enough.”
I almost laughed.
“You slapped my child.”
“You assaulted my son.”
“You stole my daughter’s documents.”
“Those documents belong to the family.”
“No.”
“They belong to Maisie.”
Margaret lowered her voice.
“You are making a terrible mistake.”
I checked my phone.
Recording.
“Is that a threat?”
“It is advice.”
“Leave.”
“I can help you.”
That sentence surprised me.
“With what?”
“Your future.”
I said nothing.
Margaret continued.
“Evan has made mistakes.”
“You mean adultery?”
Silence.
So she knew I knew.
“He is confused.”
“He seems remarkably organized for a confused man.”
“You have always been sarcastic.”
“You have always hated me.”
“I never hated you.”
I almost opened the door just to see whether she could say that while looking at me.
Instead, I remained still.
“You wanted Lauren to replace me.”
Margaret’s voice hardened.
“Lauren respects family.”
“You mean she obeys you.”
“She understands her position.”
There it was.
My position.
Rachel’s position.
Lauren’s future position.
Margaret didn’t want daughters-in-law.
She wanted employees.
“You should go.”
Margaret sighed.
“Claire, courts look at stability.”
My blood chilled.
“I have a home.”
“You are staying with Tessa.”
“I have a job.”
“You have missed four days.”
“My daughter was assaulted.”
“You struck your husband three times on video.”
She paused.
“And you have a documented history of emotional outbursts.”
Now I understood why she had come.
Not reconciliation.
Intimidation.
She wanted me to know the case she believed she had built.
“You forgot something.”
“What?”
“The video also shows Evan sitting still after you hit his daughter.”
Margaret’s voice sharpened.
“You think judges care about one mistake?”
“No.”
“But I think they care about patterns.”
She stopped speaking.
I continued.
“Rachel sent me everything.”
Nothing.
Not even breathing.
Then Margaret whispered.
“That woman is a liar.”
“She kept recordings.”
“She manipulated Evan.”
“She kept police reports too.”
“She was unstable.”
“You said the same thing about me before last week.”
Margaret struck the door with her palm.
“Do not compare yourself to her.”
The sudden violence made Maisie cry from the bedroom.
My heart jumped.
Tessa hurried to get her.
I spoke into the door.
“You woke my daughter.”
Margaret immediately changed tone.
“Let me see her.”
“No.”
“I’m her grandmother.”
“You are the woman who hit her.”
“Claire.”
“Leave.”
She stood outside for another minute.
Then footsteps moved away.
I waited.
Tessa returned carrying Maisie.
I looked through the peephole.
Margaret was at the sidewalk.
She entered her car.
A second person sat in the passenger seat.
A blonde woman.
Lauren.
Margaret had brought Evan’s mistress to intimidate me.
Tessa photographed the car.
Then my phone buzzed.
A message from Rachel.
I just remembered where Margaret kept copies.
Copies of what?
Rachel responded.
Everything she collects on people.
Where?
Three dots appeared.
May you like
Then the answer.
The basement room at Silver Lake.
