Chapter 8: Fifty Thousand Dollars

Ingrid's silver car was parked at the edge of the marina lot, and her door was already open.

Six or seven people stood nearby on the docks, coiling ropes and carrying coolers.

They had stopped to watch the woman in the camel coat hold out her hand to me.

"Leah." She smiled. "Thank you for coming. I know it's late."

"I didn't come for you."

"I know. You came for him."

She nodded at the boathouse, where Tobin stood in the doorway with his hands hanging.

"That's fine. Sit. It's cold."

"I'll stand."

"Then I'll be quick."

She took a long envelope out of her bag and held it up.

"This is a check for fifty thousand dollars. It's yours today. No strings, and no lawyer."

"What's the catch?"

"There's a lease on an apartment in Lakeside. A good one, two bedrooms. I'll pay a year up front."

"What's the catch, Ingrid?"

She tilted her head.

"Maisie lives with you three weeks of every month. Tobin has her on weekends. He loves her and he'll be good."

"And what do you get?"

"You drop the lawyer. You sign a short agreement that says you won't contact the company, the staff or my brother."

"And you let Tobin keep working for you."

"He's very good at his job." Her smile held steady. "That's all, Leah. That's every single thing."

I looked at the envelope.

It was more money than I had ever held. It was a year of sleeping through the night.

Behind her, somebody on the dock said, "Oh my God," very quietly.

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