Major Hannah Nolan Comes Home to Chesapeake and Discovers Nineteen Thousand Dollars Gone

I set my cup on its saucer without a sound.

“How many envelopes were there, sweetheart?”

She held up both hands with her fingers spread wide, then added a few more on top.

“Did he tell you anything about them?”

“He said don’t touch the lock.

He said it was a surprise for when you came home.”

Evelyn’s hands went into her apron pockets and stayed.

“Hannah.”