Chapter 24 - GREGORY’S FATHER
Malcolm Mercer died four years after Gregory’s conviction.
Heart failure.
No mystery.
No dramatic final confession.
Nathan notified me because of civil-settlement obligations.
I felt something.
Not grief exactly.
Not relief.
A closing door.
Malcolm’s estate paid remaining obligations before distribution.
He left me nothing.
Good.
He left the Hale Cold Case Fund a $250,000 donation.
I almost rejected it.
The board decided independently.
They accepted with no naming rights.
Also good.
Money can be used without converting forgiveness.
Malcolm left my mother a letter.
She read it privately.
Then asked whether I wanted it.
“No.”
She nodded.
Later:
“He said he dreamed about Tom.”
“Okay.”
“You really don’t want more?”
“No.”
I meant it.
Information had stopped feeling like oxygen.
That may have been the biggest change.
Nathan became one of Mercer Industrial’s several board members after independent nomination.
Not automatic.
No chairmanship.
Company governance held.
Gregory requested permission from prison to attend Malcolm’s memorial by video.
Granted under prison rules.
I did not watch.
His grief belonged to him.
Months later Owen asked me:
“Do you think you’ll ever forgive Gregory?”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Curiosity.”
“Dangerous.”
“Withdrawn.”
I smiled.
Then answered anyway.
“I don’t know what forgiveness means in this context.”
“Fair.”
“I don’t want revenge.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t want him near me.”
“Okay.”
“I believe he can change and still owe consequences.”
“Okay.”
“I don’t need a word bigger than that.”
Owen nodded.
No philosophy.
Good.
Then he asked:
“Want dessert?”
May you like
“Yes.”
Sometimes the correct next chapter is cake.
