Chapter 6 - The Clean Slate
By Saturdayafternoon,my roomin the maternitywinghadbecomea tacticalheadquarters.
Rosemarystayedon the daybedby the window,her knittingneedlesclickingwiththe steadypaceof an engine,producinga thinswatheof palegreenalpacawoolforClara’shead.ArthurPennington’sparalegal,a quietwomanwitha thickbinderof propertytranscripts,sat on the smallrollingdesknextto my waterjug,markingexhibitwithredplasticflags.
“The carriagehouseis the firstpriority,”Penningtonsaid,layingout threeaerialphotographsof the Bedfordsiteacrossthe blanketovermy legs.“Danielhasbeenuploadingmaterialfor his designworktherefor fiveyears.Computers,servers,twoflat-bedscanners,andthe masteraccountsledgersforHollisDevelopmentGroup.If he realizesthesearenotsecuredunderthe trustprotection,he willattemptto clearthe spacebeforethe weekendis out.”
“He isalreadythere,”Rosemaryremarkedwithoutdroppinga stitch.“Rachelcalledme twentyminutesago.Shewentto the houseto retrievehercoatfromThursday.Shesaidthereisa twenty-four-footmovingvanbackedup againstHarold’soldworkshopdoors.JadePrescott’swhiteRangeRoveris parkedbesideit.”
A coldthrumof adrenalinepassedthroughmy fingers.“He ismovinghis officeto savehis corporatebooksfromthe sheriff.”
“Indeed,”Penningtonreplied,takinga goldpocketwatchfromhis waistcoat.“The sheriffhasalreadybeenservedwithourorderof protectivecustodyoverthe premises.DeputySheriffMilleris a secondcousinof Harold’s.He haslittlepatienceforyoungDaniel’scityhabits.He shouldhearrivedat the gatesfifteenminutesago.”
“I wantto bethere,”I said,swingingmy legsoverthe sideof the bed.
Rosemary’sneedlesfroze.“MargaretAnne.Youarebarelyforty-eighthoursout froma traumaticprematuredelivery.Youhavea daughterin an incubator.”
“Andsheis sleepinguntilher nextfeedat six,”I toldher,standingfirmlyon the linoleum.My kneeswerewobbly,andthe abdominalbinderholdingmy coretogetherpressedhardagainstmy ribs,butthe weaknesswasonlymeatandtendon;my mindwasclearerthanit hadbeenin eightyears.“If I don'tstandin that drivewaywhenDanielwalksout,he willspendthe nexttwentyyearstellingsomeonetowhomhe owesmoneythat I robbedhimin the dark.I wantto lookat himwhenhe leavesthe key.”
Penningtontiltedhis head,hissloweyessparklingwitha dry,ancientrespect.“I havethe court’sinjunctionin duplicate,Mrs.Hollis.My Buickis outside.It hasverycomfortablesprings.”
An hourlater,the oldBuickrolledthroughthe rustystonegatepostsof HollisManor.
The sleethadmeltedcompletely,leavingthe woodedlawnsdampanddarkunderan overcastsky.The giantmaplesdroppedthe lastof theirblackleavesontothe wetgravel.Backedstraightup to the doublegreenbarndoorsof Harold’sworkshopwasa whiterentalbox-truck.The roll-updoorwasaquarteropen.
Danielstoodon the tail-gate,holdinga cardboardboxof archivereviewbinders.JadePrescottstoodbeneathhimon the wetleaves,holdingan umbrellaoverherheadwithonehandanda stackof laminateddesignboardsin the other,her camelcoathungoverhershoulders,lookingmiserablyat the mudsplashinghertanleatherbooties.
Besidethe driver’sdoorof the trucksat a WestchesterCountySheriff’scruiser,its ambercautionlightsflickeringlazilyin the afternoonmist.DeputyMiller,a heavy-setmanin a fleece-linedjacketwitha brassshieldpinnedto the chest,stoodwithhis bootproppedon Daniel’sbumpers,drinkingcoffeefromalargetravelmug.
The Buickstoppedbesidethe boxwoodhedge.Penningtonsteppedout first,holdingthe blackattachecase,andopenedthe reardoorfor me.
I steppedontothe wetgravel.The smellof wetearth,damphemlock,andthe faintsmokeof the manor’schimneyhit my lungs,sweetandcold.I hadspentsevenyearscleaningsilversaltcellarsin that house;I hadrakedtheseacres;I hadspongedHarold’sforeheadwhilethe windwhistledthroughthe eavesaboveus.Now,walkingtowardthe truckwithouta weddingringon my swollenfinger,the earthbeneathmy solesfeltunmistakablymine.
Danielstoppedwiththe boxin his hands.His facewasgray,the stubblearoundhis jawthickandragged.Jadebackedupslightly,her eyesdartingfromme to the markedcruiser,hersmugcomplacencyfromThursdaynightcompletelyevaporatedinto the coldrealityof countyjurisdiction.
“Maggie,”Danielsaid,his voicetightwithfuriousdisbelief.“Yougot out of the hospitalfor this?To playthe vindictivebitchin frontof the neighbors?”
“Mr.Hollis,”DeputyMillersaid,notputtinghis coffeemugdown,“watchyourmouthin frontof the Mrs.Thisis herland.”
“It’smy father’sland!”Danielshouted,slammingthe boxdownontothe tailgate.“My nameis on the gate!”
“No,”I said,steppinguntilI wasfifeetfromthe truck’sstep.“Yournameis on the developmentbillsyouhaven'tpaidin Tarrytown.Yourfather’snameis on the deedthat standsbehindMr.Pennington.Put the boxdown,Daniel.”
“Thesearemy personalbusinessrecords!”
“Thosearethe recordsfor HollisHoldings,”Penningtoninterjectedcalmly,steppingforwardandflourishingthe injunctionstampedwiththe blueinkof the SupremeCourtin WhitePlains.“Whichwasnamedas a nominaltenantin Harold’sofficelease.UnderSectionSevenof the RealPropertyActionsandProceedingsLaw,allfixturesanddocumentarygoodscurrentlylocatedwithinthe agriculturaloutbuildingsarerestrainedpendingthe appointmentof a receiverto satisfiesunpaidtaxliabilitiesincurredduringthe 2022fiscalyear.”
Jadelet out a sharp,humiliatedgasp.“Daniel,youassuredme the injunctionwasonlyfor the residentialdwelling!Youpromisedme we couldclearthe designsforthe riverfront!”
Danielturnedonher,the charmcompletelygone,leavingonlythe snarling,hunteddogbehind.“Shut up,Jade!Justshut yourgoddamnmouthandget in the car!”
Jadefroze.Shelookedat himthe wayI hadlookedat himsixmonthsago—the instantthe maskslippedandtherewasnothingbehindit buta shallow,frightenedboywhohadneverlearnedhowtocarrya weightthat wasn'tgreasedby someoneelse'ssweat.
May you like
Shedidn'tscream.Shedroppedthe laminatedboardsstraightintothe wetmudat herfeet.The coloredrenderings—modernstucco,glassbalconies,plazasnamedafterpeoplewhoneverwalkedthe soil—splashedwithbrowngrit.Shedidn'tlookat Danielagain.Shewalkedstraightpastme,her headheldrigid,got into herwhiteRangeRover,andslammedthe doreso hardit rattledthe glassin the carriagehousecupola.
The enginecranked,the all-wheeldrivetoreup the gravel,andthe carspedthroughthe stonegates,leavingDanielstandingaloneon the tail-gatewithhis half-filledboxof paper.
