Chapter 1 - The Woman Upstairs
Brenda was the first person to move.
She hurried down three steps before realizing she was still wearing Mark's shirt.
"Sarah, I swear, this isn't what you think."
Sarah stared at her.
"You're half naked in my house."
"It's complicated."
"No. Complicated is assembling furniture without instructions. Sleeping with my husband is actually pretty simple."
Mark stepped between them.
"Brenda, go upstairs."
Sarah laughed.
"You don't get to order people around anymore."
"This is my house."
Sarah held up the document.
"Apparently half the state might be my house."
Mark's jaw tightened.
"Put that down."
Emma squeezed Sarah's hand.
"Mommy, can we go?"
That question brought Sarah back to what mattered.
Not Brenda.
Not Mark.
The children.
She put the documents into her handbag.
Mark immediately blocked the door again.
"You're not taking them."
Sarah pulled out her phone.
"I already called my attorney."
That was a lie.
She did not have an attorney.
But Mark did not know that.
His reaction was immediate.
His eyes flicked toward the folder.
Then toward his office.
Then back to Sarah.
"Which attorney?"
Sarah felt something cold move through her stomach.
Why did that matter?
"One who knows how to read."
"Sarah."
"Move."
He didn't.
She raised her phone.
"I'll call the police."
Mark lowered his voice.
"You have no idea what you're doing."
"Then explain the four-point-eight-million-dollar loan."
"It's business."
"In my name?"
"It's marital property."
"That's not an answer."
Brenda had reached the foyer.
She looked pale.
"Four point eight million?"
Mark turned on her.
"Stay out of this."
Brenda stared at him.
"You said everything was under the company."
"Brenda."
"You said Sarah couldn't be connected."
Sarah slowly looked from one to the other.
"Connected to what?"
Brenda's expression told her she had said too much.
Mark grabbed Brenda's arm.
"Upstairs. Now."
Brenda pulled free.
"Don't touch me."
Sarah almost laughed again.
Apparently Mark had lost control of both women in the same afternoon.
Toby suddenly pointed toward the hallway.
"Dad's computer."
Everyone looked at him.
Toby wiped his face.
"Dad said we can't ever touch the black computer."
Mark's expression hardened.
"Toby."
The little boy hid behind Sarah.
Sarah stared at her husband.
"What black computer?"
"Nothing."
Emma whispered, "The one in the guest house."
Mark moved toward the children.
Sarah stepped in front of them.
"Don't."
Something passed between them.
A line had been drawn.
Mark finally moved away from the door.
"Fine."
Sarah waited.
"Leave."
She didn't trust the sudden surrender.
Mark pointed outside.
"Take your clothes. Take your dramatic little folder. Go."
Sarah started gathering the children's bags.
Then Mark said quietly, "But when you discover what those papers actually mean, don't come begging me to fix it."
Sarah looked back.
"What do they mean?"
Mark smiled.
It was the first genuine smile he had shown since she found the documents.
"They mean you're already involved."
Sarah's hand tightened around the suitcase handle.
"Involved in what?"
Mark said nothing.
Twenty minutes later Sarah drove away with Toby and Emma.
She did not see Mark standing behind the upstairs window.
She did not see Brenda screaming at him.
And she did not see him make a phone call from the black device he kept inside his office safe.
He said only seven words.
"She found the Bennett Residential file."
The man on the other end was silent.
Then he answered.
"How much does she know?"
May you like
Mark looked toward the empty driveway.
"Enough that we need to find her."
