Chapter 6 - The Unraveling of the Co-Conspirators
While Claire and Lily settled back into their home, the fallout from that rainy afternoon continued to ripple outward, tearing apart the fragile alliance of their enemies.
Without Evelyn’s house to live in and her income to subsidize their lifestyle, Natalie and Frank’s relationship quickly deteriorated. They were forced to rent a cramped, drafty one-bedroom apartment in a rundown part of East Portland.
Frank, who had always relied on Evelyn’s quiet financial handouts, was suddenly forced to work extra shifts at his warehouse job.
"I didn't sign up for this!" Frank yelled one evening, throwing his dirty work boots onto the linoleum floor. "I was supposed to be part of a wealthy family! Now I'm paying for your mother's storage unit while she sleeps on our futon!"
Evelyn was sitting in the corner of the small living room, her once-immaculate clothes now wrinkled and dusty. "Keep your voice down, Frank. You are speaking to my daughter."
"I don't care!" Frank shouted. "Your daughter is the reason we're in this mess! If you hadn't been so obsessed with hurting Claire, we would still be sitting in that mansion!"
"It wasn't just Mother's idea!" Natalie chimed in, her face red. "You were the one who bought the lock, Frank! You were the one who said Claire’s name shouldn't be on the mailbox! Don't try to play the innocent victim now!"
The bickering was interrupted by a knock at the door.
Frank opened it, expecting a delivery. Instead, a tall man in a dark suit handed him three separate envelopes.
"Subpoenas," the man said curtly. "Have a nice day."
Frank opened the first envelope. His face went white.
"It's from the District Attorney's office," he whispered. "We're being called before a grand jury. They're investigating us for conspiracy to commit child endangerment and criminal mistreatment."
Natalie grabbed her envelope, her hands shaking. "No, no, no... this can't be happening. We didn't do anything! It was Mother who talked to the girl!"
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"The law doesn't care who spoke," Claire’s voice seemed to echo in Natalie's mind. "The law cares who acted."
The safety net they had relied on for years had not just broken; it had wrapped around their necks.
