Rivera makes more notes, her pen scratching across the paper. The sound fills the silence. She sets it down.
“Here's where we are. Jeffrey Williams is cooperating on multiple cases. Your father is deceased. The contaminated property is being remediated under state oversight.” She closes her file. "Unless new evidence emerges suggesting the current Blackstone leadership was complicit in the original crimes, our focus will remain on Williams and the other parties he's identified. For the record, Mr. Williams has not named the Blackstone family in connection with these payments."
"So we're clear?" Lillianna asks.
"For now," Rivera says. "But Mr. Blackstone?" She looks at me. "Stay away from Jeffrey Williams. No more visits, no more 'legal referrals,' no contact whatsoever. Am I understood?"
"Understood," I say.
"Good." Rivera stands. "We'll be in touch if we need anything further."
Voss stands, extending his hand. "Thank you for your time, Agent Rivera."
We file out of the conference room. No one speaks until we're outside the building, standing in the parking lot under a too-bright sun that feels wrong after the fluorescent cave we left.
Voss turns to me. "That went better than I expected."
"Because of them," I say, nodding toward the three women.
"Yes," Voss agrees. "Madison's testimony established the timeline. Ivy's framing of the remediation efforts helped. Rivera wasn't expecting the united front."
"What happens now?" Lillianna asks.
"We wait. They'll either move forward with additional questions or close their inquiry into the family. My guess? They'll focus their energy on Williams and whoever he names. You're not the priority here." Voss picks up his briefcase. "Continue the remediation, cooperate with any requests, and for God's sake, don't contact Williams again."
"I won't," I say.
Voss nods to the women. “It was a good thing you ladies showed up.” He heads toward his car.
Lillianna squeezes my shoulder. All three of them start for the car. “Ivy, can I talk to you for a second?” I ask.
My sister and Madison walk away, leaving me alone with Ivy in the parking lot.
"Thank you," I say. "For coming. For all of it."
"You're welcome." She won't look at me, her gaze fixed somewhere over my shoulder.
"You could have stayed away today. But you came. You stood up for me in there."
"I did it because it was the right thing to do." Finally, she looks at me. "Because Madison needs you. Because Lillianna and Sebastian need you. Not because of us."
Not because of us. The line between those reasons cuts deep.
"Ivy—"
"I have to go." She turns toward her car. "I have a lot to do today."
I watch her walk away. Madison and Lillianna are already in Lillianna's car, exiting the parking lot.
"You should go after her," Voss calls from across the lot, pausing before getting into his car.
"I will. When I get home." When I can find the right words.
Voss doesn't argue. He gets in his Mercedes and leaves.
Ivy pulls out shortly after. She came when I needed her. That has to mean something.
It has to.
