I showed up at the hospital to surprise my husband during his shift. But the second one of his coworkers saw me, all the color left his face. Then his eyes filled with tears. “He hasn’t said a word to you, has he?” Ben and I had been married eleven years, and for every one of those years, I had shared him with the hospital. He was a remarkably gifted surgeon.

When we were three blocks away from the estate, I unfolded the scarf with trembling hands.

Tucked deep in the wool was a small index card covered in neat, graceful handwriting.

“I know what Gregory did the night that child died, and I’ve kept the proof.

Meet me at the Daily Roast on Oak Street tomorrow at nine a.m.

Come by yourself.

Evelyn.”
PART 8

Neither Brian nor I slept that night, both of us tossing and turning while the wind rattled the bedroom windows.

At around two in the morning, I went down the dark hall and found him sitting perfectly still at the kitchen table.