Chapter 8 - The Keeper
Eleanor remembered Madeline Kessler immediately.
“She came to me two weeks before my birthday.”
Roman leaned forward.
“Why?”
“She said Richard had contacted her before he died.”
Evelyn sat beside Eleanor.
“What did he tell her?”
“That he had discovered irregularities involving Victor.”
“Why didn’t you tell Roman?”
Eleanor looked ashamed.
“Because Madeline told me Roman was involved.”
Roman went still.
“She said Richard discovered you were helping Victor.”
Roman stood.
Eleanor reached for him.
“I didn’t believe her.”
“You believed enough to keep it from me.”
“I was frightened.”
Roman walked toward the window.
Evelyn saw the wound beneath his anger.
Not suspicion.
Betrayal.
She approached him.
“Roman.”
“I need a minute.”
Eleanor began crying.
Evelyn touched her shoulder.
“He’ll come back.”
“How do you know?”
“Because he loves you more than he loves being angry.”
Roman heard.
He didn’t turn around.
But his shoulders lowered.
The investigation moved quickly after that.
Kessler had served as Lakeshore’s chief medical administrator for twelve years.
She oversaw compliance.
Records.
Internal investigations.
Every complaint against Jonathan Mercer passed through her office.
Including Evelyn’s.
Kessler hadn’t merely known Evelyn was telling the truth.
She had personally approved the report calling Evelyn unreliable.
Roman wanted her arrested immediately.
The detectives needed evidence.
So Evelyn volunteered to meet her.
Roman refused.
“No.”
“You don’t control me.”
“No.”
“You already used that answer.”
“It remains effective.”
“Kessler thinks I’m still the frightened student she destroyed.”
“You aren’t.”
“Exactly.”
Roman stared at her.
“You want her to underestimate you.”
“Yes.”
He hated the plan.
Which meant it was probably good.
Evelyn contacted Kessler and claimed she wanted money in exchange for remaining silent about the files.
Kessler agreed to meet at a hotel lounge.
Police monitored everything.
Roman waited in another room.
“Do not improvise,” he told Evelyn.
She smiled.
“Have we met?”
“That’s what concerns me.”
Before she left, he caught her hand.
“Evelyn.”
His voice softened.
“Come back.”
Her smile disappeared.
“I will.”
Kessler arrived precisely at six.
Elegant.
Controlled.
She looked Evelyn up and down.
“You’ve changed.”
“No. You just never looked at me closely.”
Kessler smiled.
“You were always dramatic.”
“My mother’s records.”
“What about them?”
“You altered them.”
“Prove it.”
Evelyn placed a folder on the table.
Kessler didn’t touch it.
“You’re bluffing.”
“Then leave.”
Kessler stayed.
Evelyn knew she had her.
“Margaret Donovan found the billing records. Jonathan Mercer killed her. Victor financed the scheme. But neither of them controlled hospital records.”
Kessler’s eyes cooled.
“You think you understand something because you carried trays at a birthday party?”
There it was.
The contempt Evelyn remembered.
Years earlier, it would have shrunk her.
Not anymore.
“I understand you were afraid of a waitress.”
Kessler laughed.
“I was never afraid of you.”
“You destroyed my career.”
“Because you were inconvenient.”
“Same thing.”
Kessler leaned closer.
“You want the truth? Your mother should have died twenty years ago.”
Evelyn’s breathing stopped.
In the monitoring room, Roman stood.
A detective held up a hand.
Keep listening.
Kessler continued.
“The hospital was hemorrhaging money. Victor’s contracts kept entire departments open.”
“By defrauding patients?”
“By doing what was necessary.”
“And my mother?”
“A complication.”
“Margaret?”
“A liability.”
Evelyn’s nails dug into her palms.
“And Eleanor?”
Kessler hesitated.
That was enough.
“You were at the party.”
“I attend many parties.”
“You knew Victor planned to incapacitate her.”
“I knew he intended to secure his financial position.”
“You knew Mercer changed her medication.”
Silence.
Evelyn pushed.
“You were afraid Eleanor knew Richard had been murdered.”
Kessler’s face changed.
Then she smiled.
“You really are smarter than they said.”
Evelyn’s heart pounded.
“Did you help Victor kill Richard?”
“No.”
The answer came instantly.
“But I helped him hide it.”
Police had enough.
Detectives entered.
Kessler’s expression finally cracked.
She looked at Evelyn.
“You think this fixes your life?”
Evelyn stood.
“No.”
Kessler smiled cruelly.
“You lost years.”
“I know.”
“Your father died believing you failed.”
Evelyn’s eyes filled.
Then a familiar voice came from behind her.
“No.”
Roman entered.
“Her father died knowing his daughter refused to become a coward.”
Kessler looked at him.
“You’re defending her?”
Roman moved beside Evelyn.
“With everything I have.”
Kessler was taken away.
Evelyn remained frozen.
Then she turned toward Roman.
“You weren’t supposed to come in.”
“I struggle with authority.”
She laughed.
Then kissed him.
Roman froze.
For perhaps the first time in his adult life, Roman Vale had absolutely no idea what to do.
Evelyn pulled away.
His eyes opened.
“That was—”
“A mistake?”
“Absolutely not.”
He kissed her back.
Slowly.
Carefully.
No audience mattered.
No reputation mattered.
For a few seconds, neither of them belonged to the scandal surrounding them.
Then Roman’s phone rang.
He ignored it.
It rang again.
Evelyn laughed against his mouth.
“You should answer.”
“I disagree.”
Third ring.
Roman sighed and answered.
His expression changed.
“What do you mean, missing?”
Evelyn stepped back.
“Who?”
Roman lowered the phone.
“Mercer.”
“What happened?”
“He disappeared from protective custody.”
Evelyn’s stomach tightened.
Roman continued.
May you like
“And the guard outside his room was found unconscious.”
Their victory suddenly felt very far away.
