"I owe you an apology," he said before sitting. "And I know an apology doesn't fix it."
Nora folded her arms. I waited.
Colin explained that Tessa had promised him a payment for organizing the freight move. She described it as a legitimate commercial job and told him to avoid bothering me during the vacation because I became emotional around Dad's furniture. He knew we had not publicly announced a sale, but he had accepted her explanation that the paperwork was being kept discreet until the terms were final.
"How much did she offer?" I asked.
"Seven thousand dollars."
I looked at him. "And you took it?"
He shook his head. "I got two thousand up front. I haven't spent it. My lawyer told me to keep it separate, and I'm making it available with the payment records."
Nora stared at him. "You knew it was Dad's collection. You helped carry those cabinets when he brought them back from the library."
Colin looked ashamed. "I knew. I told myself if Dan wanted to sell, that was his right. I should have asked him."
I couldn't disagree. Colin's involvement wasn't the same as Tessa's, and the evidence would have to establish what he knew and intended. But he'd chosen not to ask a question that might have cost him a payment. I found it difficult to look at him.
He then produced his phone and showed us a message from Tessa dated the morning we left for Chicago. It said the transport crew would arrive late, that the owner would be out of town, and that if anyone asked questions, Colin should explain the move as an authorized conservation transfer. A later message said, Don't call Daniel. He gets anxious about this stuff and might cancel everything at the last minute.
I stared at the screen. There was no dramatic confession in those words, but they described the entire strategy. Avoid me. Keep things moving. Explain my absence as emotional weakness. Proceed before I could object.
"I'll give this to the detective," Colin said. "I should have done it the first night."