His Cousin Was His Real Wife, So I Took My Father's Name Back novel · Chapter 20 of 24
Chapter 20: Simon's POV
Simon's POV
The detective called back at ten that night.
I put him on speaker in the gatehouse kitchen, with Clara across the table in my sweater and her feet tucked under her.
"The bank's fraud officer will be in at eight on Monday," the detective said. "If we shut the release down now, Dunning knows he's been caught and he runs."
"So we let it go through," Clara said.
"We let him walk in for the check. We'll have two officers at the counter and your signature page from the file."
"He'll bring the folder," she said. "He always brings the folder."
"Then be there at nine, and be where he can see you last."
He hung up.
The kitchen was quiet.
Rain ticked on the window over the sink.
Clara looked at me across the little table, and I saw that she was tired and had decided not to be.
"You've been looking at me for a while," she said.
"I have something to tell you."
"Is it worse than the six weeks?"
"I think so."
She waited.
"The investigator's file was enough after one week," I said. "The lawyers had what they needed. I should have come to you then."
"But you didn't."
"I kept him on. I told myself it was caution." I took out my phone and set it on the table between us. "It was because I wanted to look."
I opened the folder.
There was Clara on her porch in the rain, with a casserole dish held against her chest.
There was Clara laughing at something outside the dental office, with her head thrown back.
"I looked at these at night," I said. "I've never looked at a woman the way I looked at these, and I'd never heard you speak."
I made myself keep my eyes on her.
"I sat outside Linden Road in my car twice. I saw you through the kitchen window, doing dishes. I hadn't spoken to you yet."
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