Pearl watched his hands and then pulled him into an embrace.

PART 13: The Invitation to Leave

Vivian sent me a letter through a lawyer.

It accused me of manipulating a grieving child, insinuated that my employment had an improper purpose, and offered a generous payment if I resigned and signed a confidentiality agreement.

I showed it to my attorney, a woman named Naomi Ellis whom I had hired with money from my own salary.

She read it once and sighed.