Chapter 16: Torn Up

Laurence's POV

By eleven the Heron Point lawn was full of people holding the Ledger.

The Founders' Day luncheon started at one, and the town came early every year to be seen arriving.

Today they came to see her.

Delaney walked across the grass in her green dress with her chin up.

I walked a half step behind her, watching the crowd.

Dozens of phones were aimed at her back.

"Paid fake," a man said near the fountain.

"Look at her. Doesn't even blush."

I started toward him, and she put two fingers on my sleeve without turning her head.

"Not yet," she said.

She stopped in the middle of the lawn, where the paths crossed.

A woman in a straw hat was holding out her copy of the Ledger.

Delaney took it from her.

"May I?"

The woman was too surprised to say no.

"Good morning," Delaney said, and her voice carried to the terrace.

Heads turned all the way up the steps of the club.

"You've all read page one. I'd like to read it with you."

My head of security was standing at the edge of the crowd, where I had told him to be.

I nodded, and he came across the grass and put a folder in my hand.

It held the signed original.

I gave it to her.

She opened it and held up the first page.

"This is a business paper. I wrote half of it myself on a legal pad in his office."

A few people laughed, uncertainly.

"Term one. A marriage for one year, then a divorce, and Mr. Hartwell pays me nothing."

She looked up.

"Nothing. I turned down the money. Anyone here who wants to call me a gold digger can read term one again."

A man at the back said, "Then why do it?"

"Because I had a name to clear and he had a birthday coming, and we were both honest about it."

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