“They know exactly who you are, Vanessa,” I said.

I walked closer, my boots sinking into the fresh drift.

“The audit is complete,” I said.

“And Arthur gave us the keys.”

Julian Vance stepped back, his boots slipping on the ice.

He looked at the briefcase in his hand, then at the deputies.

“I had nothing to do with the children,” Julian said, his voice high and thin.

“She managed the household.”

“You signed the checks to keep the doctors quiet, Julian,” I said.

“You knew Sophie was malnourished.”

“You knew Grace had untreated fractures.”

Detective Pierce stepped between them.

“Vanessa Caldwell, Julian Vance, you are under arrest,” he said.

He read them their rights while the deputies pulled their hands behind their backs.

The metal handcuffs clicked loudly in the cold air.

Vanessa spit on the tarmac near my feet.

“Benjamin is weak,” she hissed.

“He will never survive this.”

“He doesn’t have to,” I said.

“He only has to survive you.”

I watched them get pushed into the back of the police cars.

The red taillights faded down the airport road.