UP IN FLAMES

“I’m fine.” Her dismissive look told him she was anything but.

“Do you want to talk?” he asked, still clinging to the stubborn hope that a future between them might be possible.

“Not now,” she responded. “Not today. Maybe not ever. I’m not sure we have anything to discuss.”

Though his heart sank, he managed to smile and nod. “I understand.” And the sad part was that he did. Clearly, he needed to resign himself to a life bereft of her. Despite trying not to watch him, Vanessa saw the myriad raw emotions cross Alaric’s handsome face. For the first time since she’d met him, he appeared vulnerable. She shouldn’t care-she didn’t care-or so she told herself.

“Paul said the reason why he’d come was to tell me that they found something in Christopher’s office when they searched it. It was a thumb drive, and it indeed proves that Chloe was in on the whole thing with him. He gave it to me and I checked it out when you were with the paramedics. I have to go to the station.”

She waited for him to say more. Instead, he turned, got out of the car and started to walk away.

“Wait.” Without thinking, she got out too. She went after him, reached out and grabbed his arm.” Don’t you think I should come with you? I mean… Shouldn’t I?”

For a moment he only stared at her, his expressionless face matching the flat look in his eyes. As their gazes locked and held, she swore his softened.

“Yeah. You should.” His lopsided grin tugged at her heart, a reaction she ignored.

On the road, she felt like herself again. With each mile the car ate up, she felt bits of her sorely flagging confidence return. Though just about everyone she’d known, loved and trusted had betrayed her with lies and avarice, she still had this. The strong part of herself that no one, not even Christopher, had ever been able to completely destroy, though she’d allowed it to be banished temporarily.

Alaric gave her the thumb drive which she connected to her laptop. In it there were video files. Several of them, as well as data files. Alaric told her it was a good idea to copy everything to the computer so she could make a second thumb drive and keep it safe…. Just in case. After she’d done that, she took a deep breath and clicked on the first video.

Though black-and-white, the quality seemed surprisingly good. When she heard the discussion between Christopher and Chloe, she actually gasped out loud.

Clearly in charge, Chloe berated Christopher, who looked frustrated and agitated. She demanded he tell her why there’d been a delay and asked if he didn’t understand the cartel had been breathing down her neck. The video ended abruptly and Vanessa clicked on the next one. This time, Christopher outlined to Chloe the ways campaign funds could and couldn’t be used. Listening to Chloe’s replies, Vanessa quickly ascertained the two were figuring out ways to use that money without being caught. But for what? Though she’d hoped for answers, this video provided none. So she checked out the next one.

Apparently, they got worse as they went on. There was one of Christopher and Chloe talking to Chris on speaker-phone, as they all made plans to leave the country once they’d wired enough money to their individual offshore accounts. Judging by the amount of money they were discussing, the missing three million dollars seemed to be a mere drop in the bucket. In fact, the more she heard, the less the amount made sense. Either way, just the first few videos were enough to convict Chloe of several crimes. And Vanessa hadn’t even watched half of them.All content © N/.ôvel/Dr/ama.Org.

She clicked on the next one. This time, it wasn’t just Christopher and Chloe. Her husband and his campaign manager were meeting with three well-dressed politicians as well as two men who probably were part of the cartel. She couldn’t watch anymore and shut the laptop.

By the time they got to the station, she felt centered and once again in control. Normally, the congested traffic would have agitated her, but she hung on to her patience. Having Alaric with her helped. Finally, they arrived at the office and Alaric rapped on the closed door.

“Come in,” a brusque, male voice ordered.

Inside, the stern-looking man with a lined, weary face stood. He smiled at Alaric and they shook hands. Finally, Alaric introduced her.

“This is Vanessa Spencer. Vanessa, this is my boss, Bobby Brown,”

Bobby held out his hand and Vanessa took it. She liked that he kept his grip firm. She’d always hated men with limp handshakes.

“Why don’t you both have a seat?” Returning to his chair, Bobby waited. “Are you here to turn yourself in, Mrs. Spencer?”

Startled, Vanessa recoiled. “Not hardly.” She said,

Alaric chipped in,”We are here because we have hard evidence that implicates Chloe Davis and a few other local business leaders. But I was told she’d like a written guarantee of immunity from prosecution,”

Vanessa hid her surprise and nodded. Until this very moment, she’d never even considered the possibility of being arrested for any crime. Christopher’s dealings had been his and his alone. She’d had no part of any of them.

Bobby looked from Vanessa to Alaric and back again. “This evidence you have. Will it exonerate you completely?”

Once more she had to consider. “I believe so.”

“But why should I trust you?” Bobby asked.

“I can vouch for her,” Alaric interjected. “She truly had no part in any of Christopher’s business or political deals, I promise you.”

Bobby narrowed his eyes. “I trust you, Alaric, but still, Christopher was her husband. At some point, she had to wonder where all the extra cash was coming from, right?”

This time, Vanessa spoke up for herself. “I left Christopher a long time ago. I was going to divorce him before he died, and there was no extra cash, at least that I was aware of. None of what Christopher did ever made its way to me.”

Nodding, Bobby pushed up from his chair. “You two wait here. Let me see what I can do.”