Chương 5
Mara watched his face.
“What else?”
Daniel’s eyes shifted to her.
“Dad, think.”
Richard said something longer this time.
Daniel sat down slowly.
“Her safe-deposit key?”
Mara felt the small hairs on her arms rise.
Daniel pressed the phone harder to his ear.
“Why would she keep that in her wallet?”
Richard answered.
Daniel rubbed his forehead.
“No, I know you don’t know.”
Mara moved closer.
“What bank?”
Daniel held up one finger.
“Dad, where’s the box?”
Richard answered.
Daniel looked at Mara.
“First Commonwealth.”
Mara whispered, “Can she get into it alone?”
Daniel asked.
Richard’s reply came quickly.
“No, it’s hers.”
Daniel listened another moment.
“Okay.”
Mara said, “Ask him what’s in it.”
Daniel did.
Richard went silent long enough that Daniel pulled the phone away to check the connection.
“Dad?”
Richard finally answered.
Daniel’s expression changed again.
“What documents?”
Mara watched him stand.
“Dad, say that again.”
Daniel’s voice sharpened.
“You found what?”
He paced once toward the window.
“No, don’t touch anything else.”
Richard said something that made him stop.
Daniel turned toward Mara.
His lips parted.
“I’ll call you back.”
He ended the call.
Mara waited.
Daniel stared at the screen.
“What?”
He swallowed.
“Dad went into their bedroom after she left.”
“And?”
“He found a folder behind the dresser.”
Mara felt suddenly tired.
Not frightened.
Not curious.
Just tired.
“What kind of folder?”
“Bank statements.”
Daniel sat again.
“And a printout from some apartment complex.”
Mara frowned.
“An apartment?”
“He thinks she rented one.”
“For herself?”
“I don’t know.”
Mara looked toward the front door.
“You thought she might be running because of the recording.”
“So did you.”
“I thought she was panicking.”
Daniel gave a short breath.
“She’s definitely panicking.”
Mara picked up the ice towel again but did not press it to her face.
“What did your father mean by documents?”
Daniel hesitated.
“There was a copy of their marriage certificate.”
“That’s normal.”
“And his passport.”
Mara looked at him.
“His?”
“Photocopy.”
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel’s phone buzzed.
Both of them looked at it.
A text from Richard appeared.
DONT COME BACK YET.
Daniel stared at the message.
Another followed.
I NEED TO HANDLE THIS.
Mara leaned against the counter.
“Maybe listen to him.”
Daniel shook his head.
“My mother disappears after admitting she framed you, and now Dad finds a hidden folder.”
“Which is exactly why you shouldn’t go storming back.”
“I’m not storming.”
“You’re holding your keys.”
Daniel looked down.
He was.
He set them on the table.
Mara pressed the ice to her cheek again.
Daniel stood in the middle of the kitchen with nowhere to put himself.
Finally he opened the refrigerator.
He stared into it for several seconds.
Mara almost told him there was nothing in there he wanted.
Instead he pulled out mustard.
He looked at the bottle.
Then put it back.
Mara laughed.
The sound surprised both of them.
Daniel closed the refrigerator.
“What?”
“You opened the fridge because your parents’ marriage is collapsing.”
He gave her a tired look.
“I didn’t know what else to do.”
“That may be the most honest thing you’ve said all day.”
He leaned back against the counter.
For a few seconds, they existed as they had on ordinary evenings.
Mara at the table.
Daniel by the refrigerator.
A crooked dish towel hanging from the oven handle.
The faint smell of coffee from that morning still trapped in the room.
Then Daniel’s phone buzzed again.
This time it was Claire.
He answered.
“Aunt Claire.”
Her voice came through clearly enough for Mara to hear the agitation in it.
“No, she hasn’t called me.”
Daniel glanced at Mara.
“Dad said she left.”
Claire spoke rapidly.
Daniel’s eyebrows drew together.
“What do you mean she came by?”
Mara straightened.
“When?”
Claire answered.
Daniel looked at the wall clock.
“Twenty minutes ago?”
Mara mouthed, “Where?”
Daniel held up a hand.
“What did she want?”
Claire kept talking.
Daniel’s face hardened.
“Did you give it to her?”
Another pause.
“Claire.”
He closed his eyes.
“Okay.”
When the call ended, Daniel stayed very still.
Mara lowered the towel.
“What did she want?”
“Cash.”
“How much?”
“Two thousand.”
Mara stared at him.
“Claire gave her two thousand dollars?”
“She said Mom told her Dad had frozen the cards.”
“Did he?”
“No.”
“Then why would Claire believe that?”
Daniel looked embarrassed on his aunt’s behalf.
“Because Mom was crying.”
Mara let that sit.
“Of course.”
“She also asked Claire not to call Dad.”
“Of course.”
Daniel ignored the repetition.
“She said Dad was being irrational.”
Mara’s mouth tightened.
“Apparently there’s a family discount on that word.”
Daniel looked at her.
This time he did not defend anyone.
Mara got up.
Her knees felt weak.
She walked to the sink and ran cold water over the towel.
Daniel said, “What are you thinking?”
“I’m thinking your mother isn’t just leaving.”
He waited.
“She’s preparing.”
“For what?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“It wasn’t meant to be.”
Mara wrung out the towel.
“Does she have somewhere she goes when she’s upset?”
“Shopping.”
Mara looked at him.
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
“Hotel?”
“Sometimes the club.”
“She wouldn’t go somewhere everyone knows her.”
Daniel shook his head.
“She cares too much about appearances.”
Mara turned off the faucet.
“Then an apartment makes sense.”
Daniel’s phone was already in his hand.
“Dad said the printout had an address.”
“Don’t go there alone.”
“I’m not asking permission.”
“No, you’re not.”
Mara met his eyes.
“But if you find her, what exactly are you going to do?”
He looked away.
“I don’t know.”
“That matters.”
“She framed you.”
“Yes.”
“She hit you.”
“Yes.”
“She lied to Dad.”
“Yes.”
“You’re acting like I should just sit here.”
Mara’s voice stayed quiet.
“I’m acting like every person in your family keeps making decisions while angry and then acting shocked when those decisions have consequences.”
Daniel flinched.
“Fair.”
Mara sat down again.
“Call your father.”
Daniel hesitated.
May you like
Then he did.
Richard answered after four rings.
