She removed another document.
It was a draft settlement proposal.
Mark intended to offer cooperation against Celeste in exchange for a more favorable position if authorities uncovered additional financial misconduct.
“He told me I was protected,” she whispered.
“Then I found this.”
I stared at the document.
Mark was doing to Celeste what he’d done to me.
Using her loyalty until it became convenient to sacrifice her.
Celeste looked at me.
“I know you hate me.”
“I don’t have enough room in my life to spend all my energy hating you.”
She began crying.
I felt no satisfaction.
Only exhaustion.
Then I asked about the archive.
Her face changed.
“What archive?”
“The records from Briar County Memorial.”
She froze.
Miriam leaned forward.
“Celeste, if you know anything about those records, this is the time to tell us.”
Celeste’s eyes moved toward the door.
“Mark told me never to touch them.”
