Nobody applauded anymore. Several donors slowly stood and stared at Brett in disgust. One woman removed her pledge card and tore it in half.
“That’s not the whole story,” Brett stammered. “She misunderstood—”
“Misunderstood?” I asked quietly. “I nearly died because you took the only vehicle and abandoned your pregnant wife.”
The reporter who had praised him on television suddenly lifted her microphone. “Mr. Keene, did you tell the public your wife disappeared voluntarily?”
Brett’s answer never came. The charity board president stepped onto the stage and removed his event badge-
