49. Rei
My heart was pounding out of my chest, and I thought I might puke.
“We need to go. Now,” Coretta said. She pressed herself up and we hurried down the next aisle, abandoning our cart to rush outside.
Even though my mind still hadn’t caught up, I chased behind her, amazed at how quickly the woman could move.
The driver pulled up instantly like he’d been watching for us.
As soon as we were in the back seat, Coretta said, “Take us to my home.” Her breath came in quick pants. “I’m going to need a drink after that.”
I huffed out a breathless, humorless laugh. “I’m going to need a drink… and an explanation.”
She gave me a meaningful look, darting her eyes toward the driver, and said, “I’ve prepared a meal at home. No restaurant can cook like me.”
I nodded like I believed her, but that was the end of the conversation until we were inside her house. She brought me to the empty dining area, explaining that Charles was out with friends and that it was just the two of us.
Then she opened a cabinet full of different types of liquor and poured us drinks. “Espresso martini,” she said, handing me a glass with the dark liquid sloshing inside.
She took a deep drink, and then another.
“Coretta,” I said, concerned. “What is going on?”
Her lips pursed. “I should really let Quentin tell you.”
My head recoiled. “Quentin’s gone for another day and a half! You can’t let my brain have that long to come up with every terrible possibility. Please, Coretta.”
She took another sip, cup already half-empty. She seemed to decide something. “I will tell you, but only if you let him tell you in his own time.”
I nodded, needing to know the truth about Courtneigh—Claire. She was related to Conrad’s plan somehow. Had to be.
“Claire and Quentin used to work at a bank together,” Coretta began. “Before Quentin started at MyHome. Quentin was the controller, and she the assistant controller.” She rushed it out like just saying the words was painful.
I nodded, encouraging her to continue.
“Well, after all those long hours, one thing led to another, and Quentin fell for her.” Tears gathered in her eyes.
“He courted her, brought her home, even went as far as buying her a ring.” She gestured at my hand.
“It wasn’t as nice as that one, but he and I went to the store until he found one he thought was perfect for her. ”
My feelings battled between being jealous and heartbroken for Quentin, and even Coretta by extension. It clearly hadn’t ended well.
“Pretty soon after the engagement, things started to change... Quentin seemed more stressed than I’d ever seen him in his life, and that’s including the struggle he had with his hip.” She shook her head and took another drink like she needed it to dull the pain of all these memories.
I reached over the bar-height counter and covered her hand with mine.
She let out a small whine and covered my hand with her other one. “Quentin wouldn’t tell Charles or Tyrone what was going on—he was too embarrassed—but I wouldn’t let up.”
I arched my eyebrows.
She gave a worried look. “I don’t know, maybe he should tell you.”
My eyes were worried, and my stomach sinking. I didn’t want to wait for an answer, but this was clearly painful for her.
She sighed. “You’ll look it up as soon as you get home, won’t you?”
I nodded, just being honest.
“Just promise me you won’t judge Quentin for what you’re about to hear.”
“I’m the last person to be judging,” I muttered, feeling sick about the whole situation. Quentin and I were both in a mess. I just didn’t know how big of a mess it truly was. Not yet, at least.
Coretta took the last drink of her cup and then refilled it with vodka.
“Quentin told me that he found out Claire had been adding fees to the clients’ accounts under a shell company’s name, telling them they were getting extra insurance.
The fees were just below the threshold where Quentin would have to sign off on it.
But over time, the fees she gathered added up to over six figures.
When Quentin found out about it, he was sick.
He told her to give the money back, and she said she would. ”
“She said she would?” I echoed.
“She didn’t, and Quentin had to turn her in.”
I covered my chest with my hand. I couldn’t imagine what it must have been like for Quentin, choosing between the woman he loved and his own moral compass.
Coretta shrugged. “He did the right thing, even though it was hard.”
My throat felt thick as I nodded. I needed more of that in my life.
I thought that was the end of the story, but Coretta continued.
“Quentin went through a long investigation with the authorities and his company. They wanted to know what he knew, and they weren’t okay with him and Claire dating.
And that’s when it came out that she had been planting evidence to frame him for the crime in case she got caught. ”
My mouth dropped open.
Her own jaw was clenched so tight it looked like she could shatter teeth. “Claire was going to let Quentin take the fall for her scheme, even after he gave her a chance to put things right.”
The drink in my stomach threatened to rise. “No wonder it’s so hard for him to trust,” I murmured to myself. Claire had betrayed him in the worst possible way, and he was about to learn I’d been keeping things from him too. I felt even worse for my actions than I had before.
“Did Claire go to jail?” I finally asked, hoping she did.
Coretta nodded her response, and I already knew the rest of her answer.
“Her sentence was ten years, but she got out on parole just six years in. It’s been about a year since then.
” Coretta buried her face in her hands. “I can’t believe I froze up like that.
I must have rehearsed a million times over what I’d say to her if I ever got a chance. ”
“It’s hard to know what you’d do until you’re in that situation,” I said, speaking for both of us. All those years ago, I’d promised myself that I would do things the right way, but here I was getting blackmailed and spying on a man so good he’d sacrifice his heart to do the right thing.
Now I knew why Claire was working in my business and so friendly with Conrad. She was using him, and me, to get revenge against Quentin. Now I had everything needed to take them down.