Chapter 13 - The Evidence My Wife Protected"Adrian Cole trusted Corinne?"
"He apparently believed she would protect the evidence."
"Why her?"
"Because she listened when the people responsible for the project refused to."
Nathan's answer followed me for days.
Corinne had no technical degree in environmental engineering.
She had never managed a construction company.
She didn't command hundreds of employees or negotiate multimillion-dollar investments.
But she possessed something I had gradually surrendered.
The willingness to believe that ordinary people deserved to be heard.
I remembered telling her that business required difficult decisions.
She would always answer:
"Hard decisions don't give us permission to stop caring."
I used to think that was naive.
Now I understood how much wiser she had been.
The original Rivergate samples became the focus of the investigation.
According to information Nathan could properly share, Dr. Foster had confirmed that Adrian collected independent samples after the revised report reduced the contamination estimates.
The samples could establish whether the published findings accurately reflected conditions on the site.
If they contradicted the report, they might help explain why someone wanted Adrian silenced.
But investigators still had not found him.
And Corinne's connection to the evidence placed her in an increasingly difficult position.
One afternoon, Nathan called me into his office.
"I need to discuss a message from Corinne's attorney."
My heart accelerated.
"Is she all right?"
"We've been informed that she and Owen are safe."
I exhaled.
"Thank God."
"Her attorney also wants you to understand that she does not consent to direct contact at this time."
I nodded.
"I'll respect that."
Nathan studied me.
"Good."
"Did she say anything else?"
He hesitated.
"Her attorney has indicated that Corinne is willing to consider professionally supervised contact between you and Owen once safety arrangements are established."
I stared at him.
"She'll let me see my son?"
"She is open to discussing it."
My eyes filled.
For weeks, I had imagined holding Owen.
I wondered whether he had grown.
Whether he was smiling.
Whether he still made the tiny sounds he made when he slept against my chest.
Then I remembered how little time I had actually spent holding him.
The first days after his birth had been filled with business calls.
When Corinne asked me to help at night, I complained that I needed sleep before important meetings.
The few photographs I possessed showed me holding Owen carefully, smiling for the camera.
But photographs were not parenting.
And Owen had not been old enough to notice when I posed for them.
He would notice everything I did from now on.
"Tell her attorney I'll follow whatever reasonable arrangements are made," I said.
Nathan nodded.
"And Grant?"
"Yes?"
"Don't turn this into a negotiation about your marriage."
I looked down.
"I won't."
For the first time, I meant it.
Two days later, I appeared before a judge in connection with the civil proceedings over the Ellis Trust.
I had been advised that I could contest certain allegations.
Instead, after consulting my attorneys, I acknowledged the specific unauthorized signatures and transactions I had already admitted.
Corinne sat on the opposite side of the courtroom.
The sight of her nearly brought me to my feet.
She wore a simple navy dress.
Her dark hair was pulled back.
She looked tired.
Thinner than I remembered.
There were shadows beneath her eyes.
But she held herself with a steadiness I had not seen in years.
For a moment, I forgot the attorneys.
The judge.
The reporters outside.
I wanted to cross the room and tell her how much I missed her.
Then I saw the way she looked at me.
Not hatred.
Not affection.
Something more painful.
Distance.
I had become someone she could no longer rely on.
When the hearing ended, I remained seated.
Corinne rose with her attorney.
As she walked past, I stood.
"Corinne."
Her attorney glanced toward me.
Corinne stopped.
I didn't move closer.
"I won't keep you," I said.
She looked at me.
For several seconds, neither of us spoke.
Then I said:
"I'm sorry."
Her expression didn't change.
I swallowed.
"For the money. The lies. Tessa. For leaving you alone when Owen was born."
Her eyes glistened.
I continued.
"I know those words don't fix anything."
"No," she whispered. "They don't."
I nodded.
"I just wanted you to hear me say them without an excuse afterward."
She studied my face.
Then she asked:
"Are you telling the investigators everything?"
"Yes."
"Even the things that could send you to prison?"
My throat tightened.
"Yes."
She looked away.
When she turned back, tears stood in her eyes.
"Then keep doing that."
"I will."
She started to leave.
I almost asked whether she still loved me.
But I stopped myself.
She had already carried enough of my emotional burdens.
So I asked something else.
"Is Owen healthy?"
Her expression softened.
"He's healthy."
I closed my eyes briefly.
"Thank you."
"He started smiling this week."
Something broke inside my chest.
I had missed his first smile.
The same way I had missed his birth.
And nothing I owned could purchase those moments back.
"I'm glad," I whispered.
Corinne turned toward the exit.
Then she stopped.
"Grant."
I looked up.
"Don't confuse doing the right thing now with earning your old life back."
I nodded slowly.
"I won't."
She left.
And for the first time since she disappeared, I didn't run after her.
That evening, Nathan called with an urgent development.
Investigators had received credible information suggesting Adrian Cole might still be alive.
My heart pounded.
"Where?"
"They're following up."
"Who gave them the information?"
Nathan hesitated.
"A person who recently came forward through counsel."
"Who?"
"Tessa Vaughn."
I stood.
"Tessa?"
"She reportedly provided information about a vehicle and a property associated with people working for Marcus."
I stared at the wall.
"Did she say Adrian was being held there?"
"That's one possibility investigators are examining."
Then Nathan's voice hardened.
"Grant, there's something else."
"What?"
"Tessa's attorney says Marcus has been trying to contact her."
"Why?"
"Because she possesses a recording he wants back."
I remembered the USB drive.
The one Tessa had shown me in her apartment.
May you like
Then Nathan said:
"Marcus told her that if she hands it over, he will make sure your wife and son are left alone."
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