Chương 11
“No.”
Aaron and Evelyn exchanged a look.
This time Maya saw it.
“What?”
Evelyn answered carefully.
“If the notary certified witnessing a signature she did not witness, that is serious.”
Maya’s eyes filled.
“Serious enough to fix this?”
“Serious enough to investigate.”
She looked away.
Not the answer she wanted.
The doorbell rang.
Every person in the room froze.
It was too early for Mark.
His flight was not due for hours.
I moved toward the front hall.
Evelyn stood.
“Do you expect anyone?”
“No.”
I checked the doorbell monitor.
A woman stood on my porch holding a grocery bag.
She wore jeans, running shoes, and a dark wool coat.
Maya came up behind me.
Her breath caught.
“That’s Denise.”
I turned.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Maya.”
“No.”
Evelyn stepped between us.
“Nobody opens the door until we decide what we want from this.”
The bell rang again.
Denise leaned toward the door as if trying to hear movement inside.
Then she knocked.
“Maya?”
Her voice carried through the wood.
“I know you’re there.”
Maya’s face hardened.
“How?”
I looked at her.
“What?”
“How does she know I’m here?”
That was a good question.
I checked the street monitor.
No car parked in front.
Denise had either been dropped off or walked from somewhere nearby.
Evelyn whispered, “Do not accuse her of anything.”
“I want her gone.”
“That is reasonable.”
Maya moved toward the door.
I caught myself before reaching for her.
She opened it.
Denise’s face changed when she saw all of us.
For half a second, she considered leaving.
Then she recovered.
“Oh, thank God.”
Maya did not move aside.
“What are you doing here?”
Denise held up the grocery bag.
“I brought some things for the baby.”
Maya looked at it.
“Things you already stole?”
Denise flinched.
Evelyn closed her eyes briefly.
So much for not accusing her.
“I didn’t steal anything.”
“Then why were you carrying my food out of my apartment?”
Denise looked at me.
That was her first mistake.
Not because looking at me proved guilt.
Because Maya saw it.
“Don’t look at her,” Maya said.
Denise returned her attention to Maya.
“I was doing what Mark told me.”
“What did he tell you?”
“That certain supplies were being returned.”
“In reusable shopping bags?”
Denise’s mouth tightened.
“I don’t know what you think you saw.”
Maya laughed.
“I saw you carrying Liam’s diapers out.”
“I bought those.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Some supplies were mine.”
“You took my food.”
“I brought food into that apartment all the time.”
“And took more out.”
Denise’s cheeks reddened.
“This is not fair.”
Maya stared at her.
The words seemed to surprise everyone except Denise.
“You left me bleeding,” Maya said.
“I did not.”
“You stopped coming.”
“Your mother cut my hours.”
I spoke for the first time.
“No, I didn’t.”
Denise looked at me.
“You told Mark to reduce coverage.”
“No.”
“He said you did.”
“You never called me.”
“He handled the account.”
“You had my number.”
Her jaw shifted.
“I was trying to stay out of family conflict.”
“You were being paid to care for my daughter.”
“I was being paid through an agency for scheduled hours.”
“And another three thousand a month by Mark.”
That did it.
Denise’s face changed completely.
Maya saw it too.
“What was that money for?”
Denise tightened her grip on the grocery bag.
“I don’t have to answer that.”
“No,” Evelyn said from behind us.
“You don’t.”
Denise looked toward her.
“Who are you?”
“Evelyn Grant.”
“Are you a lawyer?”
“Yes.”
“For her?”
“Yes.”
Denise stepped backward.
“I should go.”
Maya said, “You should.”
Denise turned.
Then Maya added, “Did your sister notarize papers for Mark?”
Denise stopped.
She did not turn around.
The pause lasted less than two seconds.
It was enough.
When she finally looked back, the color had drained from her face.
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
Maya’s voice stayed quiet.
“Patricia.”
Denise swallowed.
“What about her?”
“She was there when I signed papers.”
“I don’t remember.”
“I do.”
That was not entirely true.
I looked at Maya.
She did not look at me.
Denise took another step toward the porch stairs.
Evelyn said, “You are free to leave.”
“I know.”
“Then leave.”
Denise did.
She reached the sidewalk before Maya called after her.
“Why did you bring groceries?”
Denise stopped again.
For the first time since she arrived, her posture sagged.
She looked down at the bag.
“Because I saw the hospital bracelet.”
Maya frowned.
“What?”
“Yesterday.”
“Where?”
“On the camera.”
My skin went cold.
Mark’s access had been revoked.
Denise should not have had access at all.
“You had access to the security system?”
I asked.
She looked at me and immediately regretted it.
“No.”
“You just said you saw her bracelet on the camera.”
“I meant Mark showed me.”
“When?”
Denise did not answer.
Maya stepped onto the porch.
“When?”
“This morning.”
“Mark is in Miami.”
“I know.”
“He sent you camera footage?”
Denise looked toward the street.
Her breathing had become visible in the cold air.
“I shouldn’t be here.”
“No,” Maya said.
“You shouldn’t.”
Denise walked away faster this time.
I watched until she disappeared around the corner.
Then I closed the door.
Evelyn turned toward me.
“Do not follow her.”
“I wasn’t going to.”
“You were absolutely going to.”
Maya leaned against the wall.
“She knew I was at the hospital before Mark came home.”
“Maybe Mark sent her something,” I said.
“Or she had access.”
Evelyn looked at me.
“Can you check without altering anything?”
“Yes.”
I opened the security application and went into the administrator history.
Mark’s profile had been removed overnight.
Mine remained.
So did Maya’s.
There was a fourth authorized user.
It had been added five months earlier under a generic label.
Home Support.
I opened the profile details.
The recovery email belonged to Denise.
Maya stared at the screen.
“She could watch me?”
“Potentially.”
“How much?”
I checked the permissions.
Live viewing.
May you like
Recorded clips.
Door activity.
