Chapter 10 - SIX MONTHS
Six months.
Not one bad week.
Not panic after financial trouble.
Six months of signatures, records, school forms, prescriptions, witness statements, and staged concern.
Ryan had kissed me goodnight while building a case against me.
I stopped grieving the marriage and started investigating it.
Kate helped me build a timeline.
Red notes for Ryan, blue for Margaret, yellow for Alan.
The pattern was ugly.
Every “kind” suggestion had a purpose: Ryan urging me to sleep after migraines, Margaret photographing messes, Alan asking about wine, Margaret offering school pickup.
Together, it looked like a machine.
Kate noticed something.
“Why does Alan keep showing up after your mother?”
She was right.
Mom rejected the medical-record request.
Alan visited Ryan.
Mom challenged Margaret at school.
Alan billed Ryan.
Mom started taking notes.
Alan opened a new file labeled “family risk.”
“They were tracking her,” Kate said.
My phone rang.
It was the Stowe property manager.
I had called that morning.
“Mrs. Mercer, I checked the cabin.”
“And?”
“Someone has been inside.”
I stood.
“When?”
“Hard to say. But the utility log shows heat activated twice this winter.”
“Who has keys?”
“You and the management office.”
“Anyone request access?”
A pause.
“Your husband.”
My chest tightened.
“When?”
“Three months ago. He said you authorized it.”
Of course he did.
I booked a flight for the next morning. Mom and Kate wanted to come.
I hired investigator Marcus Lee instead.
We reached the cabin at dusk. Snow pressed against the railings.
Inside, nothing looked disturbed.
Until Marcus crouched beside the stone fireplace.
“There.”
Fresh scratches on the floor.
We moved the heavy wood basket.
Underneath was a steel panel.
The key from Dad’s tag fit the lock.
Inside were three folders: RYAN, MERCER CONSTRUCTION, and IF LAUREN EVER NEEDS THIS.
My hands shook as I opened the last one.
On top was a letter in my father’s handwriting.
May you like
Lauren—
If you are reading this, Ryan has finally made you doubt your own memory.
