Chapter 16 - CLAIRE VS. MARGARETMargaret asked to see me.
Her lawyer arranged it.
I almost refused.
Then went.
She looked twenty years older than at the cemetery.
“You think I tried to kill Emily.”
“I think you left her behind a locked door.”
Margaret flinched.
“I thought Richard was going to let her out.”
“Emily asked you for police.”
“Yes.”
“You brought soup instead.”
She began crying.
I did not comfort her.
“I was scared.”
“Of Richard?”
“Of losing Noah. Of Richard going to prison. Of the company collapsing. Of everyone knowing.”
“So you chose Emily.”
“No.”
“Yes.”
I leaned forward.
“You chose the person with less power because helping the person with more power felt safer.”
That landed.
Margaret whispered:
“I unlocked the door once.”
I stared.
“When?”
“The morning after Noah saw her.”
“What happened?”
“Emily tried to leave.”
“Good.”
“Richard came downstairs.”
“What did he do?”
“He stopped her.”
“How?”
Margaret covered her face.
“Grabbed her.”
“Did you help?”
“No.”
“Did you call police?”
“No.”
There it was again.
Margaret’s role was not mastermind.
It did not need to be.
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She had repeated opportunities to choose help.
She chose silence.
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