“Step over here,” I said, moving toward the small consultation alcove at the back of the office.

Ethan followed me, his footsteps heavy and uneven on the thin blue carpet.

We stood behind a frosted glass partition, shielded from Margaret’s direct line of sight.

The smell of damp wool and stale coffee clung to him.

“What do you want, Ethan?” I asked, keeping my voice low and hard.

“I can help you,” he whispered, looking over his shoulder.

“I can give you everything you need to put her away.”

I stared at him, refusing to let my guard down.

He had betrayed me too many times before.

“You helped her steal my baby,” I said.

“I didn’t have a choice, Claire,” he pleaded, his voice cracking.

“She controls the trust. She controls my entire life.”

“That is not an excuse.”

“I know,” he said, tears welling in his eyes.

“I know I’m a coward.”

He wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve.

“But I don’t want to go to federal prison,” he said.

“If I testify against her, if I tell the DA everything, will you help me?”