Chapter 9: What Rhea Answered For
The detective's name was Carver.
She was direct, unhurried, and she called me by my first name from the first conversation, which I took as a sign that she had already made up her mind about certain things.
She called me on the tenth day.
"The forged records," she said.
"Rhea gave up the name of the man who made them.
He's already talking.
He's given us three other cases."
"Three other cases."
"She's done this before, Joel.
Not exactly this.
But variations.
She identifies a target, builds a relationship, and then — " A pause.
"She's been doing it for at least eight years.
You weren't the first."
I sat with that for a moment.
"Was anyone else — " I stopped.
"Was there anyone else in a basement?"
"No.
This was the most extreme.
The others were financial.
Fraud.
Manipulation.
One restraining order that was later dropped." Detective Carver's voice was careful.
"She escalated with you.
We don't fully understand why yet.
But we will."
"The woman in the casket," I said.
"The Jane Doe."
"We've identified her.
Family has been notified.
That charge alone carries — " She paused.
"It's serious, Joel.
On top of everything else.
Unlawful imprisonment.
Fraud.
Falsification of records.
Conspiracy." Another pause.
"She's not going to be in a position to affect your life again.
I want you to hear that clearly."
I heard it.
"When does it go to trial?"
"That's months away.
But the charges are filed.
She's remanded.
No bail — the judge agreed she's a flight risk." A brief silence.
"How's your son?"
"He's with his mother.
They're — " I thought about the right word.
"They're figuring it out."
"Good," Carver said.
"That's good." She sounded like she meant it.
"I'll be in touch when we need your formal testimony.
In the meantime, if anything comes up — anything at all — you call me directly."
"I will."
"Take care of your family, Joel."
I set the phone down on the kitchen table.
Mrs.
Hallett was at the counter, making tea she hadn't asked if I wanted.
She set the cup in front of me without comment.
"Well?" she said.
"She's been charged.
She's not getting bail."
Mrs.
Hallett nodded once, firmly, in the manner of someone confirming something they already knew would happen.
"Good," she said.
She went back to the counter.
"Drink your tea."
I drank my tea.
Three weeks later, I sat in a wood-paneled room with Nora's lawyer and my own and watched Nora sign the paperwork that legally confirmed what had always been true — that she was alive, that she was Perrin's mother, that the d*ath certificate issued in her name was fraudulent and void.
The lawyer slid the final page across the table.
Nora signed it.
She set the pen down.
She looked at her own name on the page — her real name, her living name — and she pressed her lips together and didn't say anything.
I didn't say anything either.
May you like
Some things don't need words.
They just need a witness.
