Pay for Services Rendered

One last thing. That night before the police came, I told Polly that we would claim that you came in to pick up your wife, found that she was being molested by Connie and that she tried to get away but he slapped her and knocked her down. You came to her rescue and in the struggle, the gun went off and Connie was fatally shot. We knew nothing about the gun or whether it was legal but we felt that was not something that we should know about.

When we talked to the District Attorney, we told him the same story and the maid Consuela, the one you met that night, corroborated our story. It was Consuela who told the District Attorney that you were shot during the struggle. We had forgotten that and were not able to tell the District Attorney how it had happened. Again, this was fortunate since the District Attorney believed our stories since they were not identical. Or so your attorney later told us.

Now you know all of the facts. I have become very fond of Polly and I wanted you to know the truth. She never stopped loving you but found herself in very bad trouble. I now know that she should have talked to you at the very beginning but I was one that suggested she not do that, so I feel partly responsible. She does not know that I am telling you this. She asked me not to do this, as a matter of fact. She understands that she can never be forgiven for what she did and how she let it get out of control. But I believe that you should know that she was never what you imagined her to be. What she did was wrong and it should never have been allowed to continue. If I had been less selfish and not so concerned with my son I would have supported her in her attempts to break away. But I did not, so I bear some of the responsibility.

When he understood the truth, my Luis is very unhappy with me. He will not accept the money I saved for his education. He threw it back in my face when I showed it to him. He refused the grant that Connie had made for his tuition at the local university. He will accept nothing from me now. He has moved in with his grandmother and he speaks to me very seldom now. I was a fool and I let myself be swayed by the money. Polly also let the money salve her conscience. She never bought herself anything with the money and only spent it on some things for the children and for you.

You now know that both Polly and I have paid for our part in this. Both of us have lost those we loved, and we have none to blame but ourselves. Connie was what he was, but he was open with it. We hid our shame and kept our mouths shut when we should have spoken. We live with that every day of our lives, her without her husband and son, and me without my son. We will die knowing our shame.

Emily Sanchez rose from the seat and reached over to shake my hand. She was still composed and calm but I could see the redness in her eyes and the glistening tears unshed. She raised her hand to stop me as I started to rise and simply smiled back.

"Please, let me go. I have said what I came to say and I am content. It was very nice to finally meet you and to unburden myself to you. I hope that my small part in helping you keep your freedom will be appreciated. Have a good day."

With that, she walked away and I never saw her again.

******

Emily gave me a lot to think about. I was able to let go of a lot of the anger after I heard her story. I had no doubt that she was telling me the truth. She had no reason to lie and she was leaving to return to El Salvador to be with her family. It seemed she knew a lot about Conrad's holdings and she knew the combination to his private safe. She was quite well off now and she had sent the money she liberated ahead of her. I wished her well.

As to Polly. I considered what Emily had told me but it really changed nothing. Polly always had the option of telling me what had happened and what Conrad wanted from her. After the first time that was actually a drug-induced situation and not her fault, she should have had enough faith in me and our marriage to tell me the truth. She chose instead to handle things on her own. I was convinced that she considered the money and decided that it wasn't that bad. She was cheating on me but I was less important to her than the money and any risk to her status quo. I decided that we had nothing left to build on. Peter and Becky were old enough to make their own choices.

This all happened 10 years ago today. I still remember it all as if it were yesterday. I continued in my business for five years after that, then turned it over to Peter and bought myself a boat. I have been sailing from port to port now for the past five years and call no place home. I see my kids now and then and we keep in touch by phone once in a while. They tell me Polly is married now, and I was amused to find it was to the client that first told me of her status at Conrad's home during the Christmas party. I remembered that he was quite taken with her. Peter says that they seem to be quite happy. Polly always asks of me when he comes to visit but he tells her nothing. She seems resigned to that, he says but continues to ask. She always was stubborn.