Chapter 6 - THE RECORDING AT MIDNIGHT
The most important recording was only forty-three seconds long.
Joanna discovered it while reviewing the files she had preserved from the townhouse's security system.
The recording contained a conversation between Randy and Eden, captured in the kitchen several weeks before the assault.
At first, it sounded ordinary.
Eden was asking about the property valuation.
Randy replied that the agent expected the townhouse to sell quickly.
Then Eden asked a question that made Joanna stop the playback.
"And what if she refuses to sign?"
Randy laughed.
"She won't refuse once she understands what we're dealing with."
"What does that mean?"
"It means she thinks the house is her escape route. If she loses confidence in herself, she'll agree to whatever I put in front of her."
Eden was silent for several seconds.
Then she said, "I don't want another scene like last time."
"Then stop questioning me."
The recording ended.
Joanna sat motionless.
The conversation did not establish exactly what either person intended to do. But it demonstrated that the proposed sale had been discussed as something Randy expected to accomplish regardless of Joanna's wishes.
She sent the file to Rebecca.
The lawyer listened carefully.
"This may be relevant," she said. "We'll preserve the original metadata and assess whether it can be used in the appropriate proceedings. We also need to confirm the recording's origin and any applicable restrictions."
Joanna nodded.
She had learned not to assume that a piece of evidence automatically proved every suspicion.
That evening, Eden called.
Joanna almost ignored the call.
Then she remembered that Eden had recently asked to speak through the lawyers about the financial records.
She answered.
"Hello?"
"Joanna."
Eden sounded exhausted.
"I know you probably don't want to hear from me."
"That's true."
A pause followed.
"I deserve that."
Joanna said nothing.
Eden continued.
"I've been reviewing my own records. I found transactions I didn't understand, and I've asked my attorney to examine them."
"Why are you telling me?"
"Because I think Randy has been hiding things from me, too."
Joanna leaned back in her chair.
"What things?"
"I don't want to make accusations without evidence. But I found transfers that don't match what he told me. I also found emails about the townhouse that I hadn't seen before."
Joanna's heart beat faster.
"Have you given them to your attorney?"
"Yes."
"Then your attorney can communicate with Rebecca."
"I know."
Eden took a shaky breath.
"I also wanted to apologize."
Joanna closed her eyes briefly.
"For what?"
"For treating you as though your home belonged to our family simply because you married my son. For pressuring you. For the messages about your mental state."
The apology was clearer than Joanna expected.
But it did not erase the harm.
"Why did you think that was acceptable?" Joanna asked.
Eden took a long time to answer.
"I was afraid of losing my house. I had made financial decisions I couldn't comfortably maintain. Randy told me he had a plan, and I wanted to believe him."
"So you decided I should pay for it."
"Yes."
The honesty was painful.
Eden continued.
"I told myself that families help each other. But I never stopped to ask whether you had agreed to help. I simply decided that you should."
Joanna stared at the desk.
"That isn't love, Eden."
"I know."
"No. I don't think you do. Love doesn't mean someone else has to give up their security so you can avoid facing your own mistakes."
Eden began to cry.
"I know I can't undo what happened."
"You're right."
"I don't expect you to forgive me."
"Good."
The answer surprised them both.
Joanna took a breath.
"If you're genuinely sorry, cooperate with the investigation. Tell the truth. Don't pressure me again."
"I will."
They ended the call.
Joanna sat quietly for several minutes.
She felt neither triumph nor satisfaction.
She simply felt tired.
The next morning, Eden's attorney provided Rebecca with a collection of records.
Among them was a draft agreement that Randy had prepared without Joanna's signature.
It described the townhouse as an asset the couple intended to sell and proposed dividing the proceeds among several expenses.
The document had never been executed.
Its existence raised further questions about what Randy had told the property agent and the financial institutions.
The attorneys arranged for the relevant records to be reviewed.
Meanwhile, Randy began contacting mutual friends.
He told them Joanna had left suddenly, taken important documents, and refused to discuss the marriage.
Some people believed him.
Others asked questions.
Joanna received a message from an old friend.
I don't know what happened, but Randy says you're trying to ruin him. Is there anything you want me to know?
She thought carefully before responding.
I'm safe. The situation is being handled through legal channels. I can't discuss the details, but I appreciate you checking on me.
She refused to turn her private suffering into a public argument.
The following week, the bank investigator requested an interview.
Rebecca attended with Joanna.
They reviewed the disputed applications, verified her identity, and supplied records showing where the documents had originated.
The investigator explained that the review was ongoing.
No charges had been filed, and the bank had not yet reached a final conclusion about who had prepared the applications.
Joanna answered every question honestly.
When the interview ended, she felt lighter.
Not because everything was resolved.
Because she had finally stopped hiding.
That night, Charles invited her to dinner at his home.
He had kept the same wooden dining table Joanna remembered from childhood.
There was a scratch near one corner from the time she had tried to build a science project on it.
They ate roast chicken and talked about ordinary things.
Then Charles asked, "What do you want your life to look like when all of this is over?"
Joanna thought about the question.
"I want a home where I don't feel afraid to disagree with someone."
He nodded.
"What else?"
"I want to work without checking my phone every five minutes because I'm worried about what Randy might be doing."
"What else?"
She smiled faintly.
"I want to bake something without worrying that someone will punish me for making the wrong decision."
Charles raised his glass.
"Those sound like good goals."
Joanna laughed softly.
For the first time in months, she could imagine a future that wasn't defined by Randy's behavior.
But the next morning brought another surprise.
Rebecca called.
"Randy's attorney has requested a meeting. He wants to discuss a comprehensive settlement."
Joanna stared at the wall.
"What changed?"
"Possibly the financial records. Possibly the recording. We don't know."
"Should I agree?"
"You can agree to a meeting without agreeing to a settlement. We'll set clear boundaries."
Joanna considered the request.
Then she said, "Let's hear what he has to say."
She was no longer afraid of a conversation.
May you like
She was afraid only of forgetting what she had learned.
And she intended never to do that again.
