Chapter 18: The Proxy

Lila stood in the penthouse doorway at seven in the morning with her coat buttoned wrong.

Chantal stood behind her, holding the car keys of the sports car she had driven there at a speed I didn't want to know.

"I broke rule two," Lila said.

"I know."

"I know you know. Chantal told me what you said in the car."

"I said it in the text," Chantal said. "In all caps."

I pulled my sister inside by the sleeve and held her.

She was shaking.

Ansel had put on a shirt and gone to stand by the kitchen window, with his back to us.

"Tell me," I said.

"Roland sat me down in the study last night. He was so kind. He had tea."

"He always has tea."

"He said Conrad had drafted a complaint to the state bar. A formal one. About you and the statement."

Lila wiped her face with her wrist.

"He said you'd lose your license, and it would be in the papers, and you'd never be allowed to practice again. He said he could make it go away."

"For what?"

"For my proxy on Monday. He said if I signed, he'd tell Conrad to burn it."

"And you signed."

"You've spent my whole life looking after me." Her voice cracked. "I wanted to do one thing for you."

I held her face in both hands.

"You are twenty years old, and you do not trade your shares for my license."

"I know. I know that now."

"Do you?"

"I'm standing in your kitchen crying. What more do you want?"

Chantal made a small noise that might have been a laugh.

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