Chapter 14 - THE LAST CHANCE TO SAY HER NAME
Prosecutors offered Mark an opportunity to resolve much of the criminal case without trial if he accepted responsibility, paid restitution, cooperated regarding financial records, and admitted the identity and document misconduct.
His attorney also proposed a civil resolution with the restaurant employees.
Dad did not control those decisions.
Neither did I.
But Mark asked for one thing before responding.
He wanted to speak with Emma.
She said no.
Then she changed her mind.
“Five minutes,” she told me.
We met at Susan’s office.
Emma sat beside me.
Mark sat across from her.
For once, he looked at his niece instead of at the adults.
“I’m sorry.”
Emma waited.
Mark continued.
“I was scared. Everything was collapsing.”
Emma’s expression changed.
“That’s an explanation.”
Mark stopped.
“What do you want me to say?”
She answered immediately.
“Say you knew I didn’t steal.”
His eyes filled.
“I knew.”
“Say Aunt Denise knew.”
He swallowed.
“She knew.”
“Say you let eighty people watch me empty my backpack because you needed me to look guilty.”
Mark looked down.
“Yes.”
Emma stood.
“That’s all I wanted.”
Mark whispered, “Can you forgive me?”
Emma picked up her coat.
“That wasn’t what I asked for.”
She walked out.
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Mark accepted the negotiated resolution two days later.
The truth was finally on paper where he could no longer edit it.
