A year after my wife died, I finally hired a crew to renovate her old office. The contractor called and said, “Sir, you need to come see what we found—but don’t come alone. Bring everyone.” When I got there, my heart almost gave out….

Detective Lena Ortiz arrived within forty minutes with a financial crimes investigator and a crime scene technician.

The office shifted from construction site to evidence room almost instantly.

Photographs were taken.

Each item on the desk was bagged and tagged.

The safe was dusted.

The contractors gave statements.

Before the first inventory was finished, Marcus walked into the office.

I later learned one of the building workers had called the front-desk number listed for Sterling & Vance before Thomas stopped him.

That call had rolled to Marcus.

He entered with a look of rehearsed concern, expensive coat still on, phone in hand.

“David, Thomas said something happened. Are the boys all right?”

He saw the open safe.

Everything in his face changed for half a second.

Most people wouldn’t have noticed it.

I did, because I had spent a year studying every memory I owned, trying to keep Victoria alive inside it.

And in that one brief moment, Marcus did not look shocked.

He looked cornered.

Emma stepped between us before I could cross the room.

Detective Ortiz introduced herself and told Marcus not to touch anything.

He recovered quickly—too quickly.