The Anniversary Dinner He Gave to Her novel · Chapter 21 of 24

Chapter 21: The Loan

Hugh's POV

Five weeks after the dinner, the insurance investigator ate lunch at my bar and slid a letter across the wood.

"Read it standing up," he said. "It's good news, and you won't believe it sitting down."

I read it standing up.

The insurer was recovering the money it had paid on the boat.

It would come from the lake house and from the money the court ordered Dale to repay.

Because the claim covered the charter company's creditors too, the bank would be paid first.

My name was on the loan.

"It clears you," the investigator said. "Every dollar. You're out from under it by spring."

I put the letter down.

For two years I had sat in parked cars with a camera, so that one day this man would have a reason to write it.

"Why?" I said.

"Because a witness gave us the boat registration, the form he'd signed, and the account numbers Gail used. He gave it all up in two sittings, without a lawyer in the room."

"Neil."

"He asked me to leave his name out of the letter." He drained his coffee. "I thought you'd rather know."

I walked back to the kitchen after he left and stood in the walk-in for a minute with the door closed.

It was cold, and it was quiet.

I thought of the night in the blackout, when I had touched her hair in this exact dark.

I did not enjoy owing the man anything.

I found him at the delivery door at four o'clock.

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