Chapter 11 - The Policy
The policy was real.
The collateral assignment was not.
Victor confirmed that immediately.
“I never requested this.”
“Then why is your company listed?”
“I’d like to know.”
Samuel examined the copy.
“It could be something Deline prepared but never submitted.”
Callum stared at the signature line.
His name appeared again.
Another imitation.
Another version of him living on paper without his knowledge.
I should have felt vindicated.
Instead, I felt tired.
Because Callum’s victimhood did not erase his complicity.
Both could be true.
He had helped build the maze.
Then Deline started locking doors behind him.
Peter eventually reached Poppy by text.
She sent three words.
WE ARE OKAY.
Then a second message.
MOM IS CRYING.
Peter sat in the flower shop office with his phone pressed between both hands.
“She never lets Poppy see her cry.”
Callum looked at him.
“That doesn’t mean she’s safe.”
“I know.”
The Vermont State Police took Peter’s report.
Again, because there was no custody order and no immediate evidence that Poppy was in physical danger, they could not treat the situation as an abduction.
But they documented the concern.
They also documented the financial disputes.
By late afternoon, the real estate broker had withdrawn the cabin listing.
Graham had formally notified them that he had never approved the sale.
Margaret called Callum.
He put her on speaker.
“Your father is humiliating me.”
Callum’s face went blank.
“Poppy is missing school.”
“She is with her mother.”
“Deline is trying to sell Dad’s property without his approval.”
“Your father is being stubborn.”
“He says you signed the listing.”
“I did.”
“Why?”
“Because someone has to fix this.”
Callum looked at me.
Those words again.
Fix this.
“I’m done fixing Deline’s problems with other people’s property.”
Margaret inhaled sharply.
“She protected you.”
“Hartford?”
“Yes.”
“Mom, I was twenty.”
“You would have ruined your life.”
“So we’ve spent eighteen years ruining pieces of everyone else’s?”
Margaret was silent.
Callum continued.
“I’m giving a statement about the financial documents.”
“You cannot.”
“I already scheduled it.”
“You could expose Deline.”
“Yes.”
“You could expose yourself.”
“Yes.”
“Callum.”
Her voice broke.
“You’re my son.”
He looked down.
“I needed you to say that when Deline was hurting my daughter.”
Margaret began crying.
Callum ended the call.
That night, Renley asked why everyone was upset.
I gave her the truth in a size she could carry.
“Aunt Deline made some choices that caused problems with money.”
“Because of the dolls?”
“No.”
I touched her hair.
“The doll incident helped me realize we needed stronger boundaries.”
She thought about that.
“Is Poppy in trouble?”
“No.”
“Can I call her?”
“We don’t know where she is right now.”
Renley’s eyes filled.
“Did Aunt Deline take her because of me?”
My heart broke.
“No.”
I held her face between my hands.
“None of this is because of you.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
She leaned into me.
Then my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Deline’s voice came through.
“Stop pretending you care about Poppy.”
I stood.
“Where is she?”
“She’s asleep.”
“Where?”
“You want to help her?”
“Yes.”
“Then withdraw the dispute.”
I closed my eyes.
There it was.
The trade.
My signature for her silence.
“No.”
Deline’s voice turned cold.
“Then whatever happens to the shop is on you.”
I answered calmly.
May you like
“No, Deline.”
“This is the first thing in a long time that is finally on you.”
