Chapter 9: What Cassandra Did Next
She didn't wait for Monday.
On Saturday morning, a post appeared on a Facebook account with Cassandra's photo and a name I didn't recognize — a secondary account, created recently.
The post described a controlling father-in-law who had fabricated evidence against his son to seize back financial assets after a family disagreement.
It named me.
It named Ellen.
It claimed the footage had been altered.
By the time Gerald called me at nine, it had been shared forty-seven times.
"Don't respond," he said immediately.
"Don't touch it.
Don't let Ellen see it if you can help it."
"She's already seen it."
A pause.
"How is she?"
I looked across the kitchen at Ellen, who was standing at the counter with her tea, reading the post on her phone with an expression I couldn't quite name.
"She's steady," I said.
"Good.
I'm calling Diana.
This may actually help us."
"How?"
"Because she just attempted to publicly discredit evidence in an active fraud investigation.
That's not a smart move." He paused.
"Robert, do you still have the original flash drive?
The one from the venue?"
"In the safe."
"Keep it there.
I'm also going to contact the venue directly.
They'll have the original file on their server.
We need to establish chain of custody."
"Already done.
I have the estate manager's contact.
He gave me the drive himself."
"Perfect." Gerald's voice was calm and focused.
"She's panicking.
Panicking people make mistakes.
Let her make them."
I ended the call.
Ellen set her phone down on the counter.
"She called me cheap," Ellen said.
"Again.
On the internet this time."
"Ellen—"
"I'm not upset." She said it simply, like a fact.
"I'm past upset.
I'm just—" She paused.
"Tired of her."
"It won't help her."
"I know." She looked at me.
"What do we do?"
"Nothing.
We let Gerald and Diana handle it."
She nodded.
Then: "Robert.
The estate manager — the one who called you.
Does he still have the original file?"
"Yes.
Gerald's contacting him today."
"Good." She picked up her tea.
"Because I want this to be clean.
Whatever happens to Michael — I want it to be clean.
I don't want there to be any question."
"There won't be."
She looked at me for a moment.
"I've been thinking," she said.
"About what Michael told you.
That he came without Cassandra.
That he said he wouldn't help her."
"Yes."
"Do you believe him?"
I thought about it.
The tired eyes.
The wrinkled jacket.
The way he'd stood at the door and asked to be let in.
"I think he's frightened," I said.
"And I think he's starting to see her clearly.
Whether that changes anything — I don't know."
Ellen was quiet.
"She used him," she said finally.
"She planned it before the wedding.
She used his access, his position, his relationship with you." A pause.
"He let her.
He made choices.
But she used him."
"Yes."
"That doesn't excuse him."
"No."
"But it's true." She set her mug down.
"I just needed to say it out loud."
The phone rang.
Diana.
"The post is being flagged," she said when I answered.
"The account was created eleven days ago.
We've already documented it.
I've also spoken to the authorities — they're aware.
This actually triggers an additional review of potential obstruction."
"Cassandra doesn't know that."
"No.
She doesn't." A brief pause.
"Robert, I need you to do one thing.
The estate manager — can you get him to provide a written statement confirming the chain of custody on the original file?"
"I'll call him this morning."
"Good.
We're in strong shape.
Just stay quiet publicly."
I ended the call.
Ellen was watching me.
"It's going to be all right," I said.
She smiled — small and tired and real.
"I know," she said.
"I've known that since the morning you came home with the flash drive." She touched my arm lightly.
"I just needed you to catch up."
Outside, the morning was gray and still.
May you like
Somewhere across the city, Cassandra was watching her post and waiting for it to work.
It wouldn't.
