Every time my brother-in-law drove me home, I would lose consciousness and wake up with unexplained aches and pains. My husband would only laugh and say, “You’re just out of shape, that’s all.” After the fourth ride, I secretly slipped a voice recorder into my purse and said nothing. That night, I listened to a phone conversation between the two of them that revealed my blackouts had never been accidental.

PART 8

The first major break came from a place Julian had overlooked: an ordinary accounting discrepancy.

Before the attacks, I had handled our annual tax preparation.

Julian kept the business records separate, but some household reimbursements flowed through a personal account I could see.

I had noticed occasional payments to a company called Northstar Family Services, usually for a few hundred dollars.

Julian said it arranged transport for visiting executives.