Chapter 17 - Genevieve’s video
The letter was not the last thing Genevieve left.
Her attorney contacted me after the investigation became public.
A woman named Marlene Price.
No relation to Victor.
She had represented Genevieve separately during the last year of her life.
I had not known.
Another failure.
Marlene held a secure drive.
Genevieve had instructed:
Release to Lawson if environmental exposure was confirmed in the children or if litigation arose concerning her medical decisions.
There were emails.
Medical notes.
And one video.
I watched alone.
Genevieve sat in a hotel room.
Thin.
Tired.
Alive.
“Lawson, if you are seeing this, I’m probably about to be very angry with you from whatever comes next.”
I laughed.
Then cried.
She continued:
“I don’t know if the house is making me sick. I need that sentence understood. I do not know.”
Good.
Even then.
“I know Victor stopped testing before I was satisfied. I know you believe him because he has spent your whole life being the person who handles ugly things before they reach you.”
I covered my face.
Then:
“You are not your father. But sometimes you still use the systems he built because they are convenient.”
Yes.
“I hired Elena because she has no reason to protect Mercer.”
Elena.
Genevieve smiled.
“She is stubborn and terrible at accepting help. You will hate each other for at least three days.”
Five.
Close.
Then:
“If I’m wrong, apologize to Victor and tell Elena to go live a normal life.”
Her face changed.
“If I’m right, do not become Dominic.”
I stopped breathing.
“Do not threaten people. Do not disappear documents. Do not decide the law is too slow for your grief. Let the truth be boring enough to survive you.”
That sentence changed what I did next.
May you like
Not the company.
Me.
