Nora's Interview

Nora agreed to the Harbor Union interview because refusing gave Judith another adjective.

Uncooperative. Unstable. Greedy. Violent. The words were lining up outside Nora's life, waiting to be admitted.

The interview room at Harbor Union had a fake plant, a recorder, and Petra Voss from Compliance. Brooke was not allowed inside. That was how Nora knew the meeting mattered.

Petra smiled with only her mouth. "We need to clarify your access to Kind Harbor records."

"Then ask Kind Harbor why my signature is on forms I never saw."

"We will get there."

"No," Nora said. "You will get where you want unless I drag you somewhere else."

Petra's smile vanished.

The other interviewer, a young man from legal, read from a list. "Did Miles Vale ever discuss insurance assignments with you?"

"He said insurance was boring on purpose."

"Cute."

"Dead."

The word made him look down.

Petra leaned forward. "Mrs. Vale, you are named as witness on multiple contested forms. You had access. You have financial need. You were the claimant on a policy with an impossible record conflict. Help us understand why this is not fraud."

Nora had imagined this moment in the car. She had planned to stay calm. Then she thought of Sophie asking if they were moving, Daniel signing because he wanted to stop being expensive, and Miles's voice saying the second policy was a tripwire.

"Because fraud tries to get paid," Nora said. "I am the one telling you not to pay the wrong people."

Petra paused.

"Withdraw the claim, then."

"No."

"Why?"

"Because the claim is the only reason all your dead men are in the same room."

Behind the mirrored panel, Brooke heard the line through an unauthorized audio feed Kells had opened for ninety seconds.

She whispered, "Good."

Then the feed cut out.