Chapter 13
Delphine requested a private meeting with Callahan.
He refused private.
Rebecca’s office.
Counsel present.
Delphine arrived looking furious rather than afraid.
That almost impressed him.
“You’ve turned Maple against me.”
Callahan looked at her.
“You locked her in a shed.”
“She was safe.”
“You hid five years of letters.”
“I was protecting her.”
“You hid Evelyn.”
“I protected all of you.”
Callahan leaned back.
“From what?”
“From yourself.”
The answer came instantly.
Delphine continued.
“You were enraged before Evelyn disappeared.”
“That gave you the right to decide she was dead?”
“No.”
“You told her I didn’t want her.”
“She was fragile.”
“You told me nothing.”
“You were grieving.”
“You told Maple her mother wasn’t coming.”
“She was three.”
Callahan stared at her.
“Every sentence ends with you deciding what somebody else could handle.”
Delphine’s expression changed.
“She wanted to take Maple away from the Royces.”
“She wanted our daughter safer.”
“She hated this family.”
“She was allowed.”
Delphine laughed bitterly.
“And you would’ve let her?”
Callahan paused.
The old answer would have been no.
The truthful answer now was harder.
“I don’t know.”
Delphine leaned forward.
“That’s why I did it.”
Callahan shook his head.
“No.”
“You would’ve destroyed the marriage.”
“Maybe.”
“You would’ve fought over Maple.”
“Maybe.”
“You would’ve ruined everything.”
“Maybe.”
His voice remained calm.
“But those were our mistakes to make.”
Delphine went silent.
Callahan continued.
“Then later you discovered the trust.”
Her face hardened.
“And the sale.”
No answer.
“You started getting paid to maintain the lie.”
“I worked.”
“You profited from a reality you knew was false.”
Her attorney interrupted.
The meeting shifted back to legal language.
But emotionally, it was already over.
Delphine’s motive could be understood.
Protection became control.
Control became fear.
Fear became self-preservation.
May you like
Self-preservation became money.
None of those stages excused the next.
