Chapter 4: Two Million to Disappear

On Sunday, Gerald Lathrop invited us to dinner.

It was not an invitation.

His assistant called Nathaniel's driver and said the chairman expected his son and his son's wife at seven, with a smile and no scene.

"He wants the board to see the family at one table," Nathaniel said in the elevator. "Whatever he says, you don't have to eat."

"I'm going to eat everything," I said.

For the first time, I saw the corner of his mouth move.

It was the same dining room, with the same wall screen.

The same forty chairs had been cut down to ten.

Colby sat at his father's left in a charcoal suit.

Bethany sat beside him in a cream dress, and at her ears she wore my grandmother's pearl earrings.

I had left them in the dish on my dresser.

My stomach turned over once and went still.

"Imogen," Bethany said, rising to kiss my cheek. "I'm so glad you came. I forgive you for everything, you know that."

"That's generous," I said.

"Colby told me to say so."

"Did he," I said.

I took the chair at Gerald's right hand, because it was empty, and because I wanted to see what he would do.

Nathaniel sat beside me.

His knee settled an inch from mine under the tablecloth, and it didn't move.

I set my phone face up beside my water glass and tapped the red circle on the screen.

Nobody noticed.

The soup came.

Four board members sat along the far side of the table with their wives.

Every one of them was watching us over their spoons.

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