And because I returned more than thirty hours before she expected me, I had walked onto the stage before the performance was ready.

PART 2 — THE ENVELOPE

My attorney arrived within an hour.

Her name was Laura Medina.

She had handled our estate planning and several business matters for more than a decade.

The second she saw the drawer, she stopped me.

“Do not touch anything.”

“I already opened it.”

“With gloves?”

“No.”