Chapter 18: The Gala Seat

Nobody in the boardroom moved.

Nine board members, the chair, Dot and Ward all stared at Gavin in the doorway.

"Mr. Chamberlin," the chair said at last. "Ms. Danvers has made a serious statement."

"She's right," Gavin said.

His voice was steady, and I had not heard it steady in years.

"She's right that I did something to her brother. I'll tell you exactly what, but not in this room."

Corinna gave a small, brittle laugh.

"You see? He's confused. He's been up all night."

"I've been at the police station since dawn," Gavin said.

"They have the highway and the bottle. They have where I put him."

Those words hit the table.

Corinna's face went through every color it owned.

"Gavin, stop talking," she said, in a voice I had never heard her use.

"I did what you told me for nine years," Gavin said. "That's the last thing I'll do."

She took her folder off the table.

She was shaking, but her chin was high, and her heels clicked on the walnut floor all the way to the door.

Nobody stopped her.

At the threshold she turned and looked at me, and her eyes were wide and dry.

"You think this is over?" she said. "You've never seen me when it's over."

Then she was gone, and the door swung shut on a gust of her perfume.

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