Chapter 5 - Richard’s VersionRichard’s attorney contacted Amanda before Richard did.
“He wants his clothes.”
Eleanor put the call on speaker.
“He can retrieve personal items under supervision.”
“He wants to speak with his wife.”
“No.”
Amanda sat at the dining table.
She said nothing.
Richard’s attorney continued.
“He believes this has escalated because of a misunderstanding involving Lucy.”
Amanda leaned toward the phone.
“A misunderstanding?”
Eleanor raised one hand.
Amanda stopped.
“Mr. Hale maintains he placed Lucy inside the inactive appliance for less than a minute after she repeatedly climbed into it despite warnings.”
Amanda’s nails pressed into her palm.
“Then why did he tell police she climbed in herself?”
Silence.
Eleanor smiled without humor.
“Please send all future communication through counsel.”
The call ended.
Amanda stood.
“I hate how calm you are.”
Eleanor looked at her.
“I bill by the hour. Calm is part of the package.”
Amanda almost laughed.
Almost.
Then Lucy came downstairs.
She had returned from Amanda’s sister’s house with a small backpack and her stuffed rabbit, Pip.
Lucy stopped when she saw the dining table covered with files.
“Am I in trouble?”
Amanda felt physically sick.
“No.”
Lucy looked at the papers.
“Because I took that one?”
“No.”
“Richard said taking things is stealing.”
Amanda approached.
“You found a paper he was using while he was in my private office.”
“I hid it.”
“You did.”
“That’s stealing.”
Amanda knelt.
“Lucy, listen to me. We’ll talk about why taking papers normally isn’t okay. But nothing you did made Richard allowed to frighten you.”
Lucy studied her.
“Is he coming back?”
“No.”
“Ever?”
Amanda chose carefully.
“Not while I can prevent it.”
Lucy nodded.
Then she whispered:
“He said you would believe him.”
Amanda’s throat tightened.
“When?”
“In the laundry room.”
Amanda’s heart stopped.
“He said something else?”
Lucy looked frightened.
“You don’t have to tell me right now.”
“He said…”
Her fingers tightened around Pip.
“He said if I told you about your office, you’d think I was making it up because I always cause trouble.”
Amanda felt a terrible recognition.
Richard had been telling her for months that Lucy was becoming dishonest.
Small things.
“She said she brushed her teeth. She didn’t.”
“She says she finished homework.”
“She exaggerates when she wants attention.”
Amanda had corrected Lucy more harshly because of him.
How many of those accusations had been true?
Amanda sat beside her daughter.
“What kinds of things did Richard say you lied about?”
Lucy shrugged.
“The vase.”
Amanda remembered.
A porcelain vase had broken in March.
Richard said Lucy knocked it over while running.
Lucy denied it.
Amanda made her apologize anyway.
“The kitchen drawer?”
Lucy nodded.
Richard had claimed Lucy stole twenty dollars.
Amanda had taken away her tablet for a weekend.
Her chest tightened.
“The mud on the rug?”
Lucy nodded again.
Amanda closed her eyes.
Each incident had seemed insignificant.
Together, they formed something horrifying.
Richard had been building a reputation for Lucy inside her own mother’s mind.
Why?
So when the child finally accused him of something serious, Amanda would doubt her.
Amanda opened her eyes.
“I owe you an apology.”
Lucy looked confused.
“For what?”
“I believed Richard sometimes without listening enough to you.”
Lucy stared at Pip.
“You said grown-ups know more.”
Amanda swallowed.
“I was wrong.”
That was difficult to say.
Which meant she needed to say it more.
Lucy looked up.
“Are you mad at me?”
“No.”
“Even about the paper?”
“No.”
Amanda pulled her close.
“I’m mad at myself.”
Lucy immediately said:
“Don’t be.”
Amanda nearly broke.
The child she had failed to protect was trying to comfort her.
“No, sweetheart.”
Amanda kissed her hair.
“That is not your job.”
Later that evening, investigators obtained a preliminary copy of Richard’s Arizona settlement through financial discovery.
He owed more than Amanda imagined.
$1.16 million remained personally guaranteed.
Monthly payments had stopped four months earlier.
A creditor had begun collection proceedings.
Stonebridge’s stolen funds covered part of it.
But not enough.
Richard needed a large amount quickly.
The $2.4 million Briarwood loan would have solved everything.
Richard would clear his debt.
Gavin would be paid.
Victor’s company would receive funds.
And Amanda would be left with a fraudulent lien against the family home.
Then Eleanor found something even worse.
The loan package instructed the bank to wire proceeds not to Briarwood Residential Trust—
but to a newly created “renovation management” account.
Authorized signers:
May you like
Richard Hale.
And Gavin Pierce.
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