Chapter 2 — The Lockbox and the Ledger

A cheap motel near the train station became my war room. The vacancy sign flickered outside the window, throwing red across the stained carpet. It was past eleven — the hour I usually woke to turn Margaret in her bed so she wouldn’t get pressure sores.

The silence was enormous.

I opened my suitcase and pulled out an old tablet, a device Marcus and I had shared before he upgraded. The moment it found the motel Wi-Fi, synced notifications flooded the lock screen.

Marcus, who had never understood a piece of technology in his life, had never unlinked his primary email from it.

One subject line stopped me.

Charge Authorized: Grand Wailea Resort, Maui — $3,500.