She answers on the third ring. “Hello?”
“Ms. Conner? This is Liam Hayes.” I keep my voice professional. “I’m an attorney investigating William Pike’s history of domestic abuse.”
A prolonged silence stretches between us. Then, “How did you find me?”
“I’m good at what I do.” I lean back in my chair. “I believe you might have information relevant to protecting someone currently suffering similar abuse.”
Another pause. “His daughter?”
My grip tightens on the phone. “Yes.”
“I’ll be there in an hour.”
True to her word, Melissa arrives at my office exactly sixty minutes later. She’s elegant, poised—the type of womanPike would parade around campaign events. But beneath her composed exterior, I recognize something familiar in her eyes. The same haunted vigilance I see in Cora’s.
“Thank you for coming,” I say, gesturing to the chair across from my desk.
Melissa sits, smoothing her skirt with trembling hands. “I never thought I’d speak about this again.”
“Take your time.”
She inhales deeply. “It started with small things. Criticism about my appearance, what I wore, and who I spoke to. If I disagreed with him publicly, he’d squeeze my arm until I nearly screamed, all while maintaining that perfect smile.”
My jaw clenches. The pattern is painfully familiar.
“Eventually, it escalated.” She pushes up her sleeve, revealing a faint scar along her forearm. “He shoved me into a glass table during an argument. Twenty-seven stitches. He convinced me to tell the doctor I’d fallen.”
“What finally made you leave?” I ask.
Melissa’s eyes meet mine, filled with shame. “He threatened to kill me if I ever embarrassed him again. I believed him.”
I nod, fighting to maintain my professional demeanor while rage builds inside me. The parallels to Cora’s story aren’t just similar—they’re identical. The same calculated cruelty, the same public facade hiding monstrous behavior.
“Your testimony could be crucial in protecting his daughter,” I say carefully.
“Is she safe now?”
“Yes,” I answer without hesitation. “She’s with people who would die before letting him hurt her again. Will you testify?” I ask, keeping my voice gentle. “Against Pike?”
Melissa’s fingers twist together in her lap. “He’ll come after me.”
“We’ll protect you,” I promise. “The same way we’re protecting Cora.”
Her eyes dart to mine, searching for deception. I hold her gaze steadily. This isn’t just about revenge anymore—it hasn’t been since the moment we realized what Pike was doing to his own daughter.
“Can I think about it?” she asks finally.
“Of course.” I slide my card across the desk. “But don’t wait too long. Pike’s accelerating his gubernatorial campaign, using Cora as a political prop.”
Melissa nods, tucking the card into her purse. “Does she have evidence? Records of the abuse?”
“More than you’d imagine possible. She’s been documenting everything for years.”
A hint of pride flashes in Melissa’s eyes. “Smart girl.”
“She wants to destroy him,” I say, leaning forward. “Not just legally—she wants to obliterate the image he’s spent decades crafting. The loving father. The family values candidate.”
“He’s neither,” Melissa whispers.
