Chapter 3

After Julia went to sleep, I opened Vanessa's public social profile.

She hadn't bothered hiding anything from the cleaner.

Hawaii. Eric in a bright shirt, holding their boy near the ocean. His mother smiling over breakfast. His sister posing with a shopping bag.

Diane's comment: My handsome grandson. Have fun!

Tori's: Don't forget my bag, sis! Love you.

They all knew.

Diane barely spoke to Julia. Tori laughed at my clothes. They'd been walking out of our apartment and into this other life for years.

I saved the posts, the dates, and every comment.

Three mornings later, the cleaning agency called. The family had returned early. The client had reported damage and missing jewelry.

“They're asking you to come explain what happened.”

I went.

Two officers stood in the living room. Vanessa saw me and lunged. One stepped between us.

“You ruined my clothes,” she shouted. “And that's my bracelet.”

I raised my wrist.

“My mother's. I have photographs of her wearing it. Her initials and mine are inside.”

The officer asked whether I could provide them.

“Yes.”

Vanessa laughed sharply.

“You clean toilets. You expect us to believe you owned that?”

I looked up at the portrait.

“I expect your husband can explain it.”

She called him immediately, crying now.

“The cleaner's here. She stole my anniversary present. Come home.”

An officer took my account of the damage while we waited. I didn't deny making the mess. He made notes. This wasn't going to disappear because I had a reason to be angry.

Then keys rattled in the lock.

Diane came in first, carrying shopping bags. Eric followed.

Vanessa went to him and pointed at me.

“That's her.”

Every bag in Eric's hands hit the floor.

“June?”

I watched the color leave his face.

For the first time in sixteen years, my husband had come home and found something he couldn't explain away.