Chapter 15 Aurora
Aurora
‘How are you?’ I try to keep the anguish from my voice as I slide into the plastic chair opposite my father.
‘Good. They’ve had me out gardening all week. We’ll have the best veggies in the country at this rate.’
He smiles at me, his silvery stubble already beginning to show from where he’s shaved.
‘That’s impressive. You didn’t have a clue about growing anything before.’ I laugh a little, but it trails off.
My father reaches for my hand, then stops himself, glancing at a guard.
Physical contact is limited to arrival and departure only.
His solicitor told us that we’re fortunate because this place is low security.
And my father’s allowed to wear his own clothes and do things like gardening whilst he serves his sentence.
But I don’t feel lucky.
Only seeing my father for ninety minutes once every weekend when visiting hours permit makes it feel like I’m serving the sentence with him.
We manage phone calls during the week, but I used to live with him.
I’d see him every day and eat dinner with him most evenings.
It’s always been him and me, with the occasional girlfriend of his sometimes, for as long as I can remember.
My father chuckles. ‘You’re right, I wouldn’t.
Not a green finger on these hands. Until now.
’ His eyes crinkle at the corners as he smiles.
‘You need to stop worrying, sweetheart. Your old man’s fine.
I get three cooked meals a day here. I eat better than before.
And bedtime’s a thing – no more staying up late trudging through investment documents.
No rat race in the mornings.’ He opens his hands, palms upturned.
‘Why, it’s like being on holiday in here. ’
I love him for trying to make light of this whole situation. For trying to make me feel better.
I roll my eyes with a smile. ‘All right, fine. It’s The Ritz.’
‘Exactly.’ He winks at me.
‘I thought . . .’ I reach down to my bag and pull out some paperwork I printed off to show my father. ‘I thought we could take a look at these together. They’re copies of things I asked your solicitor for.’
‘How’s Dove? Have you two been out much? You wanted to watch that new movie, didn’t you? Did you go?’ he deflects as I slide the papers across the table towards him.
I know he wants to avoid this, but I won’t let him.
I especially won’t be drawn into a conversation about Dove.
Because that would mean admitting to my father that I’m working temporarily at Fairfax Guardian.
And he knows me well enough that one look into my eyes and he’ll be able to tell that my motives for doing so are not completely pure.
Although the way things are going, I’ll be lucky to find out anything from Dominic Ainsworth, or my father’s old firm.
I haven’t seen him visit the office once whilst I’ve been working there.
No one’s even mentioned his name. And Rafael is far too uptight to let anything about his personal friendships slip.
I need to find a way to get him to loosen up and talk to me if I want to find out anything useful.
‘Please, Dad,’ I urge, noting his sigh and slumping shoulders. ‘I’m not giving up on this, whether you like it or not.’
He sighs, smiling. ‘Stubborn, just like your mother. Okay, show me what you’ve got.’
‘Great.’ I sit forward in my seat, energy brimming in my voice.
‘So, these are two files that the prosecution tried to submit as evidence. One was a statement from an expert witness that supported your old firm’s claims, which was seen by the judge.
I still haven’t got anything more on that yet because for some reason it’s sealed.
But the other one’ – I tap the top sheet of paper with my finger – ‘the other one I did manage to get hold of a copy. They weren’t allowed to enter it as evidence because its authenticity was called into question. ’
My father frowns as he reads the document.
I soften my voice. ‘Did you know about this?’
He shakes his head. ‘I had no idea.’
I let out a slow breath, relieved that my suspicions are confirmed.
‘Apparently the woman left the company shortly after writing the email. She never sent it. They found it in her drafts. And none of the HR team knew a thing about it.’
‘You found all of this out by yourself?’ he asks, running a hand around his jaw as he reads.
I shrug. ‘It’s what I do when I’m not working. Even more so now that Charlie and I broke up.’
My father puts the paper down and looks at me. ‘You okay?’
‘More than okay. He was . . .’ The look in Charlie’s eyes as he called me a ‘stuck-up bitch’ at the restaurant and acted like any connection to me or my father would tarnish his reputation still stings.
But not because I miss him. Because I’m angry that I wasted so much time on a man like that.
‘He was an idiot. I’m better off single,’ I finish.
My father pushes the papers back towards me.
‘I don’t want you spending your time on this, Rory. You’re young. You should be out enjoying yourself with your friends.’
I bite my lower lip, not wanting to admit that only Dove has stood by me through all this. Any other ‘friends’ slowly distanced themselves from me after my father was found guilty.
‘But you’re innocent, Dad. You shouldn’t be in here.’ My vision blurs, tears gathering along my lower lashes.
‘Hey,’ he coos. ‘Don’t go getting upset. It’s not so bad. I’ll be out before you know it. And maybe soon they’ll let me apply for that day release thing.’
‘Release on temporary licence,’ I mumble, swiping at my eyes. I know all about it. I’ve looked up everything I can about my father’s time here. But he won’t be in with a chance of being granted it until the final few months of his sentence. That’s still years away.
‘That’s it.’ He smiles. ‘I’ll be out and growing my own veggies for you before you know it. Might even learn how to cook them.’
I laugh through my tears, and he winks at me again, making my heart swell with how much I miss seeing him every day. I live for the weekends. For these precious minutes.
‘Sounds good, Dad.’