morning after

Chapter 44

Morning After

Judith woke up before Lily.

That never happened.

She lay there for a moment looking at the ceiling of the small room listening to the house. Quiet. Just birds outside and the sound of the wind settling down from last night.

She picked up her phone.

Six forty three in the morning.

Fourteen missed calls. Eight messages. Three from numbers she did not know. Two from her mother. One from Sarah. One from Robert’s lawyer. One from a number she recognised after a moment as Marcus Kane.

She sat up slowly.

She opened Sarah’s message first.

Cassel’s name is everywhere this morning. Police confirmed late last night they are expanding the investigation. Cassel’s office issued a statement denying everything. Nobody is buying it. Call me when you are up.

She opened Robert’s lawyer next.

Formal submission made to the police at midnight. Recording and all documents lodged. Detective assigned to case called me at six this morning. They want to speak with you today if possible. Call me.

She put the phone down on the bed and sat there for a moment.

Then she got up.

The kitchen smelled like toast and tea when she came downstairs.

Grace was at the cooker. Lily was at the table in her pajamas with Mr. Bear on the chair beside her eating toast with both hands.

She looked up when Judith walked in. “Mummy you slept a long time.”

“I needed it,” Judith said.

She sat down beside her and Grace put a cup of tea in front of her without being asked.

Dan came in from the hallway a few minutes later. He looked like he had slept but not well. He sat down and Grace handed him tea too.

“Ethan is outside,” Dan said quietly to Judith. “He has been on the phone since five.”

“The board,” Judith said.

“Yes. And his lawyers.” Dan wrapped his hands around his cup. “It is moving fast this morning.”

“I know,” Judith said. “Sarah messaged. Cassel’s office is already denying everything.”

“Of course they are,” Dan said. “But the recording is with the police now. A denial is not going to be enough.”

Lily looked between the two of them. “Are you talking about the big thing again.”

“Yes,” Dan said honestly.

Lily nodded and went back to her toast. Satisfied with that answer.

Ethan came in ten minutes later.

He looked tired. His tie was gone and his collar was open and he had the look of a man who had been awake for a very long time managing things he had not fully slept on.

He sat down. Grace handed him tea.

He looked at Judith. “Robert’s lawyer called you.”

“Yes,” she said. “The police want to speak with me today.”

“I know. My lawyer is going to be there with you. I already arranged it.” He held her gaze. “Is that alright.”

She looked at him. “Yes. Thank you.”

Grace put toast in front of him. He looked at it like he had forgotten food existed and then picked it up and ate it.

Lily watched him from across the table. “You look tired,” she told him seriously.

“I am tired,” he said.

“Grace says tea helps,” Lily said.

“Grace is right,” Ethan said.

Lily seemed very pleased that everyone kept agreeing with Grace.

Sarah called at half past eight.

Judith took it in the sitting room.

“Three things,” Sarah said. “First. Cassel gave an interview this morning. He is saying the recording was doctored and that he has never had any dealings with Richard Blackwood or Whitmore outside of his official government role.”

“That is not true,” Judith said.

“I know,” Sarah said. “And the financial records make that very clear. His lawyers know they are in trouble because they have stopped threatening outlets and started going quiet which is always a worse sign.” A pause. “Second thing. Richard Blackwood has not made any public statement since yesterday. His lawyers released one line this morning saying he is cooperating fully with any investigation. That is all.”

“He is scared,” Judith said.

“Yes,” Sarah said. “Third thing. Two journalists have been contacted this morning by someone inside Cassel’s office offering information about Whitmore in exchange for a softer story on Cassel. Both journalists called me before responding.” She paused. “They are going to decline.”

Judith leaned against the sitting room wall. “They are all turning on each other.”

“Completely,” Sarah said. “Which is exactly what happens when people like that feel the ground go from under them.” Another pause. “Judith. You should know that what you did yesterday. Coming forward. The statement. All of it. It changed the shape of this story completely. Without your face on it this stays a financial scandal. With your face on it, it is about a real person and a real family and what was done to them. That is much harder for people to look away from.”

Judith said nothing for a moment.

“Thank you Sarah,” she said.

“Call me after the police interview,” Sarah said. “I will be here.”

Judith ended the call and stood in the quiet sitting room.

Outside through the window she could see the garden. The apple tree at the far end. The swing moving slowly in the morning breeze.

She thought about her father.

About Cassel sitting in his office this morning giving interviews and denying everything with the full knowledge of what he had ordered six years ago.

The anger was still there. It had not gone anywhere overnight.

But underneath it something else had settled in quietly while she slept.

Something that felt a little like hope.

She went back to the kitchen.

Ethan looked up when she walked in.

“Sarah called,” she said.

“I heard some of it,” he said. “The door was open.”

She sat down across from him. “They are all turning on each other.”

“Yes,” he said.

“Is that enough,” she said.

He looked at her steadily. “With the recording and the documents and Robert’s statement and the police investigation opening up this morning.” He paused. “Yes. I think it is enough.”

Judith nodded slowly.

Lily climbed down from her chair and came around the table and climbed up onto Judith’s lap without asking. She settled herself comfortably and picked up Mr. Bear from the other chair and held him against her chest.

Judith put her arms around her.

“Can we go on the swing after breakfast,” Lily asked.

“Yes,” Judith said.

“All of us,” Lily said. She looked at Ethan and Dan across the table.

Dan smiled. “All of us,” he said.

Ethan looked at Lily for a moment. Then at Judith. Then back at Lily.

“All of us,” he said.