“Why did you come?”
He paused near the door.
“Because I should have gone to someone’s door three years ago.”
I waited.
He continued.
“I knew enough then to suspect what Desmond had done.”
“I allowed lawyers and human resources to turn human damage into documents.”
“I told myself privacy was kindness.”
“It was also cowardice.”
Eleanor stood beside him.
William looked toward the folder.
“You shouldn’t have had to prove this alone.”
I nodded.
“Thank you.”
He handed me a card.
“My direct number.”
“I don’t expect you to use it.”
“If your attorney needs confirmation about the internal disclosure, our counsel can handle it properly.”
“Nothing informal.”
“Nothing hidden.”
That mattered.
At the door, William stopped.
“One more thing.”
I waited.
“I am removing Desmond from decision-making authority involving Vanessa’s department while our board reviews the undisclosed conflict.”
Vanessa looked up.
William continued.
“That is not punishment for the affair itself.”
“It is because he made decisions affecting a department connected to an undisclosed relationship and provided inaccurate information to compliance.”
Vanessa whispered:
“My job?”
William looked at her.
“You will be reviewed separately.”
Her face went white.
“I didn’t use my position.”
“I’m not deciding that here.”
“William—”
“Mr. Vale.”
The correction was quiet.
Final.
He and Eleanor left.
The front door closed.
For several minutes, nobody moved.
Then Marlene said:
“I think I should go too.”
Vanessa gripped her hand.
“Please don’t.”
Marlene looked at me.
I understood the question.
“Stay if you want.”
She sat again.
Vanessa turned to me.
“What happens now?”
“I don’t know every detail.”
“Can we at least talk before you file anything?”
“We are talking.”
“Not like this.”
“How?”
“Without evidence on the table.”
I looked at the folder.
“The evidence is part of the conversation.”
“Roland.”
“What?”
“I made terrible choices.”
“Yes.”
“I know that.”
“Do you?”
Her expression tightened.
“That’s cruel.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“I’m asking because twenty minutes ago you called the investigator disgusting.”
She looked away.
“I was panicking.”
“I know.”
“I don’t know what you want me to say.”
“The truth would be new.”
She flinched.
I regretted the sharpness.
Not enough to take it back.
Vanessa looked toward her mother.
Then me.
Finally she said:
“I liked how he looked at me.”
No one spoke.
She continued.
“That’s how it started.”
“Desmond made me feel…”
She searched.
“Interesting.”
I almost laughed.
“Was I uninterested?”
“No.”
“That isn’t what I mean.”
“What do you mean?”
“With you, everything was known.”
“The house.”
“Bills.”
“Weekends.”
“Dinner.”
“We had a life.”
“With him, I was…”
She stopped.