Chapter 13: Bradley's Offer

Patrick did not move out of the way.

"You are inside a court order," he said. "Leave."

"I'm leaving," Bradley said. "I have something she needs first."

He held up his phone.

"Every email my mother sent me about the plan is on here, and so is the address of the doctor's private suite."

"Why would you give me that?" I asked.

"Because I didn't know, Cora. She used me."

"You knew about the commitment papers."

He flinched, and he did not deny it.

"I knew she wanted you to rest somewhere quiet," he said. "I told myself it was a clinic. I told myself a lot of things."

"And what do you want for it?"

"To see her. When she's born. Once, through the glass if that's all I get."

"No."

"She's my daughter."

"She's the daughter you promised to another woman in front of sixty guests."

Bradley looked at his watch.

It was a small movement, a flick of the wrist, and I had watched him do it for nine years.

"That's all I want," he said.

"You're lying."

"I'm not."

"You checked your watch."

He shoved his hand in his pocket and said nothing.

A woman with a toddler on her hip was standing by the elevators, listening to every word.

"Send it to Bea," I said. "Now. While I watch."

He did it with clumsy thumbs, and his phone made a sound for every email that left.

The phone chimed again and again as the batch sent.

Bea came through the revolving door ten minutes later in her dark blazer with her car keys still in her fist.

She took one look at Bradley and one look at me.

"He's in violation," Bea said.

"I know. Write it down."

"I'm writing it down at the precinct. Bradley, you're walking in with me, and you're telling a detective what you just told her."

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