Chapter 10
The first person from the Hale family to break ranks was Ryan’s cousin Andrew.
He came to me alone.
“I thought this was about controlling family image.”
I stared.
“And that was acceptable?”
He looked ashamed.
“No.”
“What did you know?”
“That Linda wanted Emily to stay quiet until after the baby was born.”
“Why?”
“She said stress could damage the alliance.”
I almost smiled.
Not the pregnancy.
The alliance.
Andrew continued.
“Ryan talked about taking a larger role in joint business after the birth.”
There it was.
The son as milestone.
Marriage had not been enough.
Ryan believed fatherhood would make old men take him seriously.
He was planning to use the baby shower as the first public step.
Then Emily’s bruises appeared.
Suddenly the image collapsed.
Andrew looked at me.
“Linda was terrified you’d see them.”
“I noticed.”
“She said if you did, everything Ryan built would disappear.”
I looked toward the sitting room where Emily slept.
Good.
May you like
Let it disappear.
Anything built on her silence deserved to.
