Chapter 11 - Julianne's First SecretAdrian had Julianne's cassette professionally restored.
Additional audio emerged beneath the damaged section.
Julianne's voice returned.
“I found the reports in Leonard's office.”
Adrian closed his eyes.
Emma listened.
“The school projects weren't safe. They knew about the contamination before construction finished. Children were getting sick, and somebody was paying inspectors to change the numbers.”
Adrian sat upright.
Twenty-four years earlier, Mercer Development had built six public schools in Massachusetts.
Two had later been demolished because of environmental problems.
At the time, Adrian had been a junior architect.
His father controlled operations.
Julianne continued.
“I copied everything.”
Static.
“If Leonard learns where I put it, he'll destroy it.”
Adrian stared at the recorder.
Emma whispered:
“Your father.”
Adrian said nothing.
The recording continued.
“I tried to tell Adrian, but someone intercepted my messages. Then I found documents with Adrian's signature authorizing surveillance against me.”
Adrian stood.
“No.”
Julianne's voice trembled.
“I don't know whether the signature is real.”
Adrian paced.
“I never signed anything.”
Emma believed him.
The recording ended with Julianne saying:
“If my child survives, I want her to know I didn't run because I didn't love her father.”
Emma stopped the tape.
Silence filled the room.
Adrian looked twenty years older.
Emma said:
“She wasn't sure you were involved.”
“Someone wanted her to think I was.”
“Your father?”
“Or Graham.”
“Why?”
Adrian looked at Julianne's photograph.
“Because if she trusted me, she would have come to me.”
“And they couldn't risk that.”
Adrian nodded.
For the first time the shape of the conspiracy became visible.
Julianne had discovered something.
Someone tried to silence her.
When she survived, they made Adrian believe she was dead.
And made Julianne believe Adrian had betrayed her.
May you like
They had not merely separated a husband and wife.
They had engineered two different versions of reality.
Related Stories
