Chapter 8 - The Arrest
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Derek came back the next morning.
He listened to Michael's recordings. Watched the video. Read the document.
When he was done, he was smiling.
"This is it. This is the case. We can move."
"Today?"
"Today." He pulled out his phone. "I'm calling in the team. We're going to arrest Eleanor Hartley. Richard Hartley. Everyone involved."
"What about Michael?"
"He's a witness. Not a suspect. Not yet." He looked at me. "But he'll need to testify."
"I know."
"Are you okay with that?"
I thought about Michael. About everything he'd done. Everything he hadn't done.
"I'm okay with it."
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The arrest was at noon.
I watched from a distance. Eleanor being led out of her mansion. Handcuffed. Screaming.
"You can't do this! Do you know who I am?"
"I know exactly who you are," Derek said. "You're a murderer."
Richard was arrested at his office. He didn't say a word. Just stared ahead. Dead eyes.
The rest of the family fell like dominoes. Aunts. Uncles. Cousins. Everyone who'd known. Everyone who'd helped.
Michael wasn't arrested. He stood in the crowd. Watching. Crying.
I walked up to him.
"You okay?"
"No."
"Me neither."
"I'm sorry, Charlotte. For everything."
"I know."
"Can I see Lily?"
I thought about it. About the ice machine. About Eleanor. About everything.
"Not yet. But soon."
"Thank you."
"Don't thank me. Just... be better. Be the father she deserves."
"I will."
He hugged me. I let him.
Then I walked away.
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