He turned and walked toward the exit corridor.
Vanessa watched him leave.
Then she rushed toward me.
Her expensive mascara had begun running down her cheeks.
She grabbed my dress with both hands.
“Fix this, Emma,” she pleaded. “Please. You’re the lead auditor! Say you misread the server logs! Say it was a glitch in the software! I’ll give the money back. I’ll tell everyone you saved me. I’ll tell them you’re a brilliant accountant. I’ll give you whatever you want! Just fix it!”
I remained still.
She continued clutching the fabric until her hands began to cramp.
Finally, she loosened her grip.
“You want me to commit federal perjury,” I said softly, “so you can keep calling me a liar?”
Before Vanessa could respond, someone stepped out of the shadows near the edge of the gathering.
Nathan.
The groom.
He had witnessed the entire confrontation.
