“Eight years ago.”
“From bank?”
“Yes.”
“You told me Vale fired you because you looked at records.”
“He did.”
“After I took money.”
Evelyn stepped away.
Everything suddenly felt unstable.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because I knew what it sounded like.”
“It sounds like theft.”
“It was.”
She stared.
No excuse.
Again.
“What did you do with thirty dollars?”
Jonah looked toward street.
“My younger brother.”
“I didn’t know you had brother.”
“He was fifteen.”
“Sick.”
“I had doctor bill.”
“Vale refused advance.”
“I took thirty from cash drawer planning to replace after payday.”
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“Before discovered?”
“No.”
“So he fired you.”
“For theft, yes.”
“And then you went back to records.”
“Yes.”
“And found Hart payments.”
“Yes.”
Evelyn’s anger was deeper because she trusted him now.
“You let me walk into court using you as witness without telling me bank could prove theft.”
“I told Avery.”
She froze.
“Our lawyer knew?”
“Yesterday.”
“And he told you not to tell me?”
“No.”
“He told me I had to.”
“Then why didn’t you?”
“Coward.”
The word again.
This time it did not help.
Evelyn turned and walked.
Jonah followed.
“Evelyn.”
“No.”
“Listen.”
“You don’t get to decide when I learn things that affect me.”
He stopped.
Exactly.
The same pattern.
Different form.
Evelyn turned.
“You knew what my father did by hiding mortgage.”
“You knew what Vale did by hiding payment.”
“And then you hid the one fact they could use to destroy you.”
Jonah’s face was pale.
“You’re right.”
“I am tired of being right after people lie by omission.”
“I know.”
“Stop saying that!”
Several people looked.
Evelyn did not care.
Jonah lowered voice.
“I was ashamed.”
“That is about you.”
“Yes.”
“I needed truth.”
“Yes.”
“Do you have any more?”
He hesitated.
Her heart sank.
“What?”
“My brother died anyway.”
Evelyn’s anger faltered.
Jonah looked down.
“Two weeks later.”
“Pneumonia.”
“The thirty dollars bought doctor and medicine.”
“Didn’t save him.”
Evelyn’s voice softened despite herself.
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t.”
He breathed.
“Afterward I returned thirty plus interest.”
“Vale kept record of original shortage but not repayment.”
“Of course.”
“Yes.”
“Do you have proof?”
“No.”
Evelyn closed eyes.
“Jonah.”
“I know.”
She almost shouted again.
Then stopped.