Chapter 11 - Camille Finally Breaks)
Camille asked to speak with Grant.
He refused.
She asked again through her attorney.
Meredith no longer represented her.
A new lawyer, Benjamin Cole, delivered the request.
"She says Mia is in danger."
Grant's answer was immediate.
"From her."
Cole did not disagree.
"She says from someone else."
"Then she can tell the police."
"She already has."
That got Grant's attention.
Detective Torres confirmed it.
Camille had requested a proffer session with prosecutors. She was willing to provide information in exchange for consideration on some charges.
Not the child-abuse evidence.
Torres made that clear.
"She cannot bargain away what happened to Mia."
"Good."
"But she may have information about Charles, Vale, and the financial structure."
Grant stared through the interview-room glass.
Camille sat at a table in county custody clothing.
Without the expensive dresses and perfect hair, she looked smaller.
Not harmless.
Never that.
But human.
That made Grant angrier.
Monsters were easy.
People made choices.
Torres asked if he wanted to watch.
He did.
Camille began with Charles.
"He recruited me."
"When?" Torres asked.
"Fourteen years ago."
"For what?"
"Information."
"About whom?"
"Laura Harper."
Grant's jaw tightened.
Camille continued.
"At Bellweather, I had access to client schedules, document routing, estate contacts. Charles wanted to know what Laura was asking."
"Why?"
"Because she was searching for Sparrow."
"Did you know what Sparrow was?"
"Not at first."
"When did you learn?"
"After she got sick."
Torres's expression sharpened.
"Did you cause her illness?"
Camille recoiled.
"No."
"Did you administer medication to her?"
A pause.
Grant leaned forward.
Camille said, "Once."
The room inside the glass went silent.
Grant's chair scraped backward.
Ross put a hand out.
"Stay here."
Grant's vision narrowed.
Torres asked, "What did you give her?"
"I don't know. Charles gave me drops."
"What were you told they were?"
"Something to make her sleep."
"Why?"
"So he could search her office."
Grant's hands clenched.
"Did you know she was medically vulnerable?"
"Yes."
"Did you care?"
Camille looked down.
"No."
It was the first honest thing Grant had heard from her.
Torres continued.
"Did the drug contribute to Laura Harper's death?"
"I don't know."
"Did Charles intend to kill her?"
"No. He needed her signature."
"On what?"
"Trust amendments. Confidentiality documents. A release connected to Sparrow."
Grant stared.
Laura's cancer had killed her.
But while she was dying, people had used her illness as cover to control her.
Camille's voice dropped.
"Laura stopped taking anything she didn't personally open. Charles panicked. Then she hid files."
"Why did you later marry Grant Harper?"
Camille shut her eyes.
Grant stopped breathing.
Torres waited.
Finally Camille said, "At first, because Charles told me to stay close."
The sentence hit Grant with less surprise than he expected.
Maybe because part of him already knew.
"Was the relationship with Grant fabricated?"
Camille hesitated.
"At first."
Grant almost laughed.
At first.
As though later affection could disinfect the beginning.
Torres pressed.
"What changed?"
"I liked him."
Behind the glass, Grant turned away.
Camille continued.
"I liked the house. The life. The way people looked at us. I liked being Mrs. Harper."
"And Mia?"
Camille's mouth tightened.
"She never accepted me."
"She was a grieving child."
"She watched me."
"Because you abused her."
Camille looked irritated.
"Because she had Laura's instincts."
Torres leaned forward.
"Explain."
"She noticed things. Calls. Papers. Names. She kept finding Laura's hiding places."
"So you punished her."
"I tried to stop her."
"By drugging her?"
"I needed records."
"For guardianship?"
"Yes."
"For control of the trust?"
"Partly."
"For control of Harper Biomedical?"
Camille said nothing.
Torres waited.
"Camille."
"Vale wanted voting control."
"Martin Vale?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
"I don't know everything."
"Try."
Camille looked toward the one-way glass.
It was impossible for her to see Grant.
Still, he felt as though she were looking directly at him.
"Because Sparrow never ended."
Grant went cold.
Torres asked, "What does that mean?"
"Vale said the first study was only the beginning."
"Beginning of what?"
"I don't know."
"You expect us to believe that?"
"He compartmentalized everything. Charles knew legal. Pike handled medical documentation. Bellweather handled assets. I was supposed to handle the family."
"Handle means?"
"Keep Grant calm. Keep Mia discredited. Find Laura's remaining evidence."
"And if Grant became unavailable?"
Camille looked down.
Torres's voice hardened.
"What was supposed to happen to him?"
"I don't know."
"Camille."
"I was told not to ask."
"Who told you?"
"Vale."
"Where is he now?"
"I don't know."
"Last contact?"
"Six days ago."
Grant's heart pounded.
"How?"
"Burner phone."
"What did he say?"
Camille swallowed.
"He said Mia's birthday was the deadline."
"For what?"
"Finding the letter and the bank box."
"And if you failed?"
Camille's face changed.
"He said he'd handle the child himself."
Grant stood.
Ross caught his arm.
"Grant."
"He threatened Mia."
"We heard."
Inside, Torres asked, "Why abuse her on the birthday if you knew Vale was watching the deadline?"
Camille stared at the table.
"Because she smiled at me."
Torres looked almost confused.
"What?"
"After months of fighting me, hiding pills, recording things, she smiled. Like Laura used to smile when she knew I was lying."
Grant felt disgust.
"So you smashed a cake into a child because she smiled."
Camille's voice cracked.
"I lost control."
"No," Torres said. "You exercised control. Repeatedly. That's what the recordings show."
Camille's eyes filled, but Torres did not soften.
"Where is Vale?"
"I don't know."
"What does he want with Mia?"
Camille whispered, "I don't know."
Torres leaned back.
Camille suddenly looked toward the glass again.
"But I know why Charles disappeared."
Grant froze.
Torres asked, "Why?"
"Because he tried to leave."
"Leave what?"
May you like
Camille's answer was barely audible.
"Sparrow."
