Part Four: The File Against Lily’s Mother
My lawyer was silent for a moment.
Then his professional instincts returned.
“I’ll need more information.”
“Her name is Lily. She’s twelve years old. She attends the academy near the flagship store and lives with her mother above the laundromat by the bus depot.”
“You understand we need to investigate carefully.”
“I want everything done legally,” I said. “No surprises. No hidden claims. Find out who they are and whether they need protection.”
He called the following morning.
His voice was tense.
“There’s a complication.”
“What kind?”
“Lily’s mother is named Marisol. She works as a night cleaner at your corporate headquarters.”
I straightened.
“I’ve never met her.”
“That isn’t the problem.”
“Then what is?”
“Derek has been creating a disciplinary file against her.”
My grip tightened around the phone.
“For what?”
“She has taken expired snacks and packaged food that had already been marked for disposal. She brought them home for Lily.”
“That food was going into the trash.”
“I know. But Derek has recorded six separate incidents and classified them as theft. It appears he is preparing to terminate her for cause.”
Anger burned through the exhaustion in my body.
Derek was not merely impatient for my death. He was willing to destroy a struggling woman over food the company had already discarded.
“Does he know about Lily?” I asked.
“He knows Marisol has a daughter. He doesn’t know the child has any connection to you.”
“He must not learn yet.”
After ending the call, I sat alone for several minutes.
Then I returned to the bedroom, attached the ragged beard, put on the torn coat, and became invisible once more.
