Chương 7
Audrey stopped breathing.
She had seen that logo six weeks earlier on the forged home-equity application.
Mara saw her expression.
“What is it?”
Audrey handed her the phone.
“That lender was never supposed to have a purchase contract.”
Mara studied the image.
“What does that mean?”
Audrey looked at Thomas.
“It means Julian didn’t start borrowing against my house six weeks ago.”
Her phone vibrated again.
Julian had sent one more message.
Come home now and we can still fix this quietly.
Audrey read the message until the words stopped looking like language.
Mara took the phone from her hand.
“Do you want to answer him?”
“No.”
“Good.”
Thomas stood by the window, looking down at traffic as though Julian might somehow appear six floors below and save him the trouble of waiting.
Audrey rubbed her thumb along the edge of the trust envelope.
“What can they actually do without me there?”
Mara looked at her.
“With the house?”
“With any of it.”
“Legally?”
“Yes.”
“Not much, if title is solely in your name and you do not sign anything.”
Audrey nodded.
Mara’s expression stayed cautious.
“But they may be relying on documents that suggest otherwise.”
“The forged application.”
“Maybe more than that.”
Audrey looked toward the phone.
“Then I need to know what is on that table.”
Thomas turned around.
“You are not going back there.”
“I didn’t say I was.”
“You were thinking it.”
“I was thinking about the papers.”
“Same road.”
Audrey’s temper flared.
“You don’t get to decide what road I’m on.”
Thomas stared at her.
Mara lifted one hand.
“Neither of you has enough energy for this argument.”
Audrey almost snapped at her too.
Instead she stood.
Pain tightened beneath her ribs.
She waited for it to pass.
Then she crossed to the small kitchen and opened the refrigerator.
Inside were six bottles of water, a jar of mustard, and three individual yogurts that had expired four days earlier.
“That’s depressing,” she said.
Mara looked over.
“What is?”
“The refrigerator.”
Thomas said, “We can order something.”
Audrey closed the door.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You need to eat.”
She looked at him.
He stopped.
“Sorry.”
The apology sounded unnatural in his mouth.
That made it sincere.
Audrey opened a cabinet and found crackers in a plastic sleeve.
She ate two because Dr. Kline had told her to take the pain medication with food.
The crackers tasted like drywall.
Her phone began vibrating again.
This time it was not Julian.
It was her neighbor, Carol Brennan.
Audrey hesitated before answering.
“Hi.”
“Audrey?”
Carol’s voice was too loud.
“Are you home?”
“No.”
“Oh.”
There was a pause.
“I thought maybe you were hiding upstairs.”
Audrey looked at Mara.
“Why?”
“Your husband keeps knocking on my door.”
Thomas was already beside her.
Audrey turned away from him.
“Why is Julian knocking on your door?”
“He wants to know if I saw you leave.”
“Did you tell him?”
“I told him I had no idea.”
Carol lowered her voice.
“I did see you leave.”
Audrey closed her eyes.
“With my father?”
“Yes.”
“And Mara.”
“I don’t know who Mara is.”
“Did Julian see them?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“I’m not blind, Audrey.”
“I know.”
Carol went quiet.
Then she said, “Is everything okay?”
The question was ordinary.
That somehow made it impossible to answer.
Audrey looked at her bruised wrist.
“No.”
Carol did not speak.
Audrey heard a television in the background.
Someone was discussing a kitchen renovation.
“Do you need me to call somebody?”
“I’m safe right now.”
“Did he hurt you?”
Audrey swallowed.
Mara watched without interfering.
“Yes.”
Carol inhaled sharply.
“Oh, honey.”
Audrey hated the endearment and forgave it at the same time.
“Please don’t tell him anything.”
“I won’t.”
“And don’t let him inside.”
“He’s already inside.”
Audrey straightened.
“What?”
“He asked to use my phone because he said his was dead.”
Thomas mouthed something obscene.
Audrey ignored him.
“Carol, where is he now?”
“In my kitchen.”
“Can he hear you?”
“No.”
“You need to get out of the house.”
Carol laughed nervously.
“It’s my house.”
“Carol.”
“All right.”
Her voice changed.
“Okay.”
“Go outside.”
“I’m in slippers.”
“Take your phone.”
Audrey heard movement.
A door opened.
Then Carol said, “I’m on the porch.”
“Good.”
“What do I do?”
“Walk to Mrs. Patel’s.”
“She hates me.”
“Today she can survive it.”
Carol gave a startled laugh.
“All right.”
Audrey heard another door open in the distance.
Then Julian’s voice.
“Carol?”
Audrey’s body went rigid.
Carol whispered, “He’s coming.”
“Walk.”
“I am.”
“Don’t turn around.”
“Audrey, he sees me.”
Julian called again, louder.
“Carol, who are you talking to?”
The line went dead.
Audrey stared at the phone.
Thomas was already reaching for his own.
“I’m calling the police.”
Mara said, “Do it.”
Audrey looked at her sharply.
Mara nodded.
“We have an escalating situation now.”
Thomas gave the address.
Audrey listened as he explained that Julian had entered a neighbor’s home and was confronting her after allegedly assaulting his wife the previous night.
Allegedly.
That word lodged in Audrey’s chest.
Necessary and insulting.
Mara took her phone and began typing.
“What are you doing?”
“Documenting the time of Carol’s call and what she said.”
“She didn’t give permission.”
“I’m writing notes, not recording her.”
Audrey nodded.
Her own phone rang again.
Carol.
Audrey answered immediately.
“I’m okay.”
Carol was breathless.
“Mrs. Patel let me in.”
“Is Julian there?”
“He followed me to the sidewalk, then stopped.”
“Did he threaten you?”
“No.”
“Did he touch you?”
“No.”
Carol hesitated.
“He looked furious.”
Audrey pressed her fingers against her forehead.
“Police are on the way.”
Carol went silent.
Then, “Audrey, I don’t want trouble.”
The words hurt more than they should have.
“I know.”
“I mean, I’ll tell them what happened, but I don’t want this turning into some neighborhood thing.”
“I understand.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be.”
Carol lowered her voice.
“Was Eleanor with him?”
“Yes.”
“She’s still at your house.”
May you like
Audrey looked at Mara.
“Are you sure?”
