That frightened me more.
After court adjourned, the hallway became a tunnel of questions.
“Mrs. Mitchell, when did you obtain the records?”
“Is it true you designed the company’s flagship product?”
“Mr. Mitchell, do you deny the allegations?”
“Madison, did you know about the asset transfers?”
Daniel guided me through the crowd without answering. My coat was buttoned again, but I no longer felt hidden inside it. I felt like someone stepping out of a room that had been locked for years, blinking at daylight, unsure yet grateful that the door had opened at all.
Outside the courthouse, winter sunlight reflected off the steps. The air smelled of rain and traffic.
Daniel’s assistant, Priya, waited beside a dark sedan.
“Clara is fine,” she said before I could ask. “A plainclothes officer spoke with the school principal. No disturbance. Your sister is inside teaching.”
