Chapter 11
I stared at her.
"You know about Grant?"
Lena nodded, wiping her eyes.
"Grant told me. Before he died. He said Margaret was stealing from the company. That he was going to turn her in. He was scared. Really scared."
She took a deep breath.
"The day he died... he called me. He sounded strange. Like he knew something was going to happen. He said if anything happened to him, I should find you. That you would protect me and the baby."
My heart ached.
Grant had told her to find me. Even after everything. Even after the affair. He had trusted me to protect them.
"Why didn't you come to me sooner?" I said.
"Margaret found me first," she said. "The day after the funeral. She showed up at my apartment. Told me if I went near you, she would make sure I never saw my baby again. That she would tell everyone I was a gold digger, that I had trapped Grant. That no one would believe me."
She looked down at her stomach.
"I was scared. So scared. I did everything she said. Came here with her. Lied for her. But then today... in the office... I saw the way you looked at that box. And I knew. I knew you had found the evidence."
She looked at me, her eyes pleading.
"I want to help you take her down. I'll testify. I'll tell the police everything. I'll do whatever you want. Just... promise me my baby will be safe."
I stared at her.
This girl. This stranger who had carried my husband's baby. Who had been part of the worst betrayal of my life.
And yet, here she was. Scared. Alone. Begging for help.
Just like me.
I thought about Poppy. About how I would do anything to protect her.
And I realized that Lena would do anything to protect her baby too.
"Okay," I said.
Lena's face lit up with relief.
"Thank you. Thank you so much."
"But we have to be careful," I said. "Margaret is dangerous. If she finds out we're working together, she'll come after both of us. And the babies."
Lena nodded.
"I know."
"Here's what we're going to do," I said. "I have the evidence. Grant collected everything. Bank statements, emails, everything. We need to get it to the police. But not yet. Not until we're sure we can protect ourselves."
I thought for a moment.
"I'm going to call a lawyer. A good one. Someone who specializes in this kind of thing. And we're going to build a case. When the time is right, we'll go to the police together. You'll testify about what Margaret said to you. About the recording. And we'll put her away for a long time."
Lena looked at me.
"And my baby?"
"Your baby will be safe," I said. "I promise. Margaret will never get her hands on him."
Lena cried then. Real, heavy sobs of relief.
May you like
I reached out and awkwardly patted her shoulder.
"We're going to get through this," I said. "Both of us. And our babies."
