Diane had consented to it, apparently believing she was untouchable. “She was wrong.” “Diane Marie Ellis,” Jessica said formally. also known as Diana Wilson, Diana Mitchell, Diana Wells, and Diana Hartley. This conversation has been recorded and will be submitted as evidence to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation, the Arizona Attorney General’s Office, and the Federal Authorities. You have just confessed to first-degree murder, fraud, perjury, and conspiracy. Whatever time you have left, I suggest you spend it with a good lawyer.” Dian’s expression flickered.
For the first time, Margaret saw something like fear in her sister’s eyes. “You can’t prove any of this,” Diane said. “It’s my word against yours. It’s your words, Diane.” Recorded on tape, admissible in court. Jessica smiled grimly. “You just confessed to everything. And I’m going to make sure everyone hears it.” Dian’s face went pale. She opened her mouth to say something, to argue, to threaten, to bargain. But Margaret was already walking toward the door. “Goodbye, Diane,” she said without turning around.
“I hope whatever time you have left is worth what you paid for it.” She walked out of the house. She didn’t look back. They drove in silence for 20 minutes before Jessica finally spoke. “Are you okay?” Margaret stared out the window at the desert at the endless brown landscape stretching toward the horizon. “No,” she said, “but I will be.” what she said back there about your mother, about the inheritance. You know that’s not your fault, right? You didn’t do anything wrong.
I know Margaret’s voice was quiet, but she’s right about one thing. I never thought about it. I never considered how it might have felt for her, watching me get everything while she got nothing. I was so busy being grateful that I never stopped to ask if it was fair. That doesn’t justify what she did. No, it doesn’t. Margaret turned to look at Jessica. But it explains it and I think I think I needed that. I needed to understand why.
And now that you do. Margaret was quiet for a long moment. Now I let it go. She said, “I spent 20 years in prison because I loved my sister more than I loved myself. I’m not going to spend the rest of my life hating her. She’s already taken enough from me.” Jessica reached over and squeezed Margaret’s hand. You’re a better person than I am, she said. I’d want her to suffer. She is suffering. She’s dying alone in a beautiful house full of things that can’t love her back.
That’s punishment enough. Margaret paused. Besides, I have something she’ll never have. What’s that? People who care about me. Real people. Not marks, not victims, not sources of money or status. Margaret smiled. A small, tired smile, but genuine. the Chens. You Marcus. I walked out of prison with nothing and somehow I ended up with more than Diane will ever have. Jessica was quiet for a moment. We’re going to get your conviction. Overturned. She finally said with her confession on tape, with all the evidence we’ve gathered, it’s going to happen.
Margaret, you’re going to be exonerated. I know. And we’re going to recover as much of your money as we can. Diane’s assets will be frozen. Her husband will probably file for divorce when he finds out who he really married. There’s going to be a lot of money to go around. I don’t care about the money. I know, but you deserve it anyway. Margaret nodded. She did deserve it after everything she’d been through. She deserved something good, but more than the money, more than the exoneration, more than anything else, she deserved peace.
The flight back to Tennessee felt different than the flight out. Margaret sat by the window again, watching the desert give way to plains. The plains give way to hills. The hills give way to the green forests of home. But this time, she wasn’t dreading what she’d find at the end of the journey. This time, she knew exactly what was waiting for her. Answers, closure, and the beginning of something new. Jessica worked on her laptop the whole flight.
