Chapter 13 - Shadows Over the Bay
The peace of the estate was briefly tested on a crisp autumn afternoon two years later.
I was in the garden with three-year-old Thomasina when a sleek black sedan pulled up to the security gates.
A lone federal prosecutor stepped out, holding a thick manila envelope.
Augustus walked out from the main terrace to meet him, his expression cool and controlled.
I watched from a distance, holding my breath.
After a brief exchange, the prosecutor handed over the envelope, shook Augustus’s hand, and drove away.
Augustus walked slowly across the lawn toward me, a faint, wry smile on his face.
“What was that about?” I asked, kneeling down to wipe dirt off Thomasina’s small yellow sundress.
“The final chapter of Priscilla’s legal appeals,” Augustus said, stopping beside us. “The state supreme court officially rejected her petition. She’s serving her full sentence at the maximum-security federal facility in upstate New York. No early parole.”
I stood up, letting out a long, steady breath.
The last lingering phantom of my past had finally vanished into the dark.
“Good,” I said softly.
Augustus reached out, pulling both Thomasina and me into his arms in a warm, protective embrace.
May you like
“It’s over, my love,” he whispered into my hair. “Only the future remains.”
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