Chapter 4 - THE ENVELOPE
Nora didn't sleep.
Lucy finally did.
She curled beneath the old quilt in Nora's grandmother's brownstone, clutching the stuffed rabbit she had brought from home.
Nora sat beside her until nearly four in the morning.
Every few minutes, Lucy touched her mouth in her sleep.
Every time she did, Nora felt another wave of anger.
At Celeste.
At Daniel.
At herself.
Especially herself.
How many warning signs had she ignored?
How many times had Lucy gone quiet when Daniel entered a room?
How many times had Nora told herself her daughter was simply shy?
At 4:17 a.m., Nora's phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
She almost ignored it.
Then a message appeared.
MRS. HALE, I WORK FOR YOUR HUSBAND.
Nora sat upright.
Another message.
I HAVE SOMETHING YOU NEED TO SEE.
Nora stared at the screen.
WHO IS THIS?
The response came quickly.
MARCUS REED.
Nora knew the name.
Daniel's financial controller.
They had met at company Christmas parties.
Quiet man.
Mid-forties.
Always looked exhausted.
WHAT DO YOU HAVE?
Three dots appeared.
Then disappeared.
Then appeared again.
Finally:
PROOF THAT TONIGHT WASN'T JUST ABOUT CELESTE'S DRESS.
Nora called Rebecca immediately.
By seven, Rebecca and Arthur were both at the brownstone.
Marcus arrived fifteen minutes later.
He looked terrified.
He carried a laptop.
"I'm probably losing my job for this."
Arthur looked at him.
"If what you're about to show us is real, your job may be the least interesting thing Daniel loses."
Marcus opened the laptop.
He showed them company accounts.
Transfers.
Shell corporations.
Consulting fees.
Nora didn't understand everything.
Rebecca did.
Her expression changed.
"How much?"
Marcus swallowed.
"Approximately eleven million dollars."
Nora stared at him.
"Daniel stole eleven million dollars?"
"Not exactly."
Marcus clicked another folder.
"He redirected company funds through vendors controlled by Celeste Laurent."
Arthur's face hardened.
Marcus continued.
"I questioned several invoices."
"What happened?"
"Daniel told me they were authorized."
"By whom?"
Marcus looked at Arthur.
"You."
Arthur became very still.
"I authorized none of this."
Marcus nodded.
"I know that now."
Rebecca leaned forward.
"What does this have to do with Nora?"
Marcus opened another document.
A life insurance policy.
Nora's name was on it.
She frowned.
"What is that?"
Rebecca read the amount.
Then looked at Nora.
"Twenty-five million dollars."
Nora stopped breathing.
Daniel had taken out a massive policy on her life.
Six months earlier.
Her signature appeared at the bottom.
Except Nora had never signed it.
"That's not my signature."
Rebecca's expression darkened.
"I suspected that."
Nora looked at Marcus.
"Why would Daniel—"
Then she stopped.
She didn't want to finish the thought.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
"There's more."
He opened an email.
Daniel to Celeste.
The message was short.
AFTER THE ANNIVERSARY EVERYTHING CHANGES.
Nora felt cold.
Another email.
NORA WILL NOT BE A PROBLEM MUCH LONGER.
Arthur stood.
"What anniversary?"
Marcus looked at Nora.
"Your tenth wedding anniversary."
Nora whispered.
"That's next month."
Nobody spoke.
Rebecca closed the laptop halfway.
"We're going to law enforcement."
Marcus nodded.
"There's one more thing."
He reached into his coat.
An envelope.
The same kind Daniel had handed Celeste in the hotel corridor.
Nora stared at it.
"Where did you get that?"
"Daniel asked me to prepare two copies yesterday."
Marcus placed it on the table.
"I kept one."
Rebecca put on gloves before opening it.
Inside were legal documents.
Nora recognized the first page.
A postnuptial agreement.
Her supposed signature was on it.
Again forged.
The document transferred almost every significant marital asset to Daniel.
But the final page was worse.
It concerned Lucy.
Temporary guardianship.
If Nora became "medically incapacitated," Daniel would receive sole authority over Lucy.
Celeste Laurent was listed as an approved secondary guardian.
Nora couldn't breathe.
Arthur swore under his breath.
Rebecca looked at Marcus.
"When was this supposed to be used?"
"I don't know."
Marcus looked toward Nora.
"But Daniel told me he needed everything ready before your anniversary trip."
Nora's face went white.
"What trip?"
Marcus stared at her.
"The one to Switzerland."
Nora shook her head.
"We don't have a trip to Switzerland."
Marcus looked confused.
"Daniel booked it three months ago."
Nora's heart began pounding.
"For who?"
Marcus turned the laptop toward her.
Two first-class tickets.
Daniel Hale.
Nora Hale.
Departure date: September 14.
Nora stared at the screen.
She had never heard about it.
Arthur looked at Rebecca.
Rebecca immediately reached for her phone.
Then Nora noticed the hotel listed beneath the flight reservation.
A remote mountain resort.
Private suites.
Private transportation.
And a notation beside Nora's name.
SPECIAL MEDICAL ACCOMMODATION REQUESTED.
Nora whispered.
"What medical accommodation?"
Marcus clicked the attached request.
Then everyone in the room went silent.
Daniel had informed the hotel that his wife suffered from severe episodes of confusion, depression, and suicidal behavior.
All fabricated.
Nora stared at the screen.
Arthur's voice became ice.
"He was building a story."
Rebecca nodded slowly.
"A story explaining whatever he intended to happen next."
Nora looked upstairs toward the room where Lucy was sleeping.
May you like
And suddenly Celeste's slap no longer looked like the beginning of the nightmare.
It looked like the first mistake that had exposed something much worse.
