Chapter 16 - Marco's Version
Marco arrived at Miriam's office carrying a folder and none of his usual certainty. Miriam insisted her paralegal remain in the room. I was grateful she did.
“The press conference was canceled,” he said. “Vanessa's lawyer says she went for an interview and returned to her hotel.”
“And the leak?” I asked.
“Her assistant's credentials authorized a transfer. That doesn't establish who used them.”
He laid a timeline on the table, time stamps lined up with flights, access sessions, and emails. For a man who once seemed to know everything, he had learned a careful new sentence: We don't know yet.
Then Miriam asked about the hospital file that had fallen from his hands.
Marco rubbed his forehead. “I shouldn't have had it.”
My stomach tightened.
“Adrian asked his security office to confirm whether Claire was receiving treatment at that facility,” he said. “Someone forwarded a document through a third-party concierge service. I assumed it was an appointment summary.”
“It was a patient record,” I said.
“Yes.”
“Who sent it?”
“I brought the message trail.”
Miriam took the papers without promising him anything. I watched Marco realize that admitting an error to the person harmed by it didn't erase what had happened.
Before he left, he paused by the door. “He hasn't ordered surveillance of your apartment since the hospital.”
May you like
“That's a remarkably low standard,” I said.
He nodded once. “You're right.”
