“Your husband became ill.”
“Did you cause it?”
“No.”
“Did Harold?”
“No.”
“Did Judge Reeves?”
The retired judge scoffed.
“Do not be absurd.”
I looked at Victor.
“Then why did you fear Daniel?”
“Because he was stubborn.”
“That is not an answer.”
“He had enough documents to expose the land scheme.”
“And?”
“And nothing.”
Harold began laughing.
The sound was thin and unstable.
Victor turned sharply.
“What is funny?”
“You still think she doesn’t know.”
“Know what?”
Harold looked at me.
“Daniel made a deal.”
The room seemed to freeze.
“What deal?” I asked.
Victor stepped toward Harold.
“Do not.”
But Harold was beyond caution.
“Daniel agreed to surrender the original evidence.”
“He didn’t,” Clara said. “We found it.”
“He surrendered what he claimed was the original evidence,” Harold corrected. “In exchange, Victor agreed to leave the Carter farm alone.”
I looked at Victor.
“Is that true?”
He said nothing.
