She packed six footed onesies, four cans of formula, two baby thermometers, and three spare pacifiers into the canvas bags.

She zipped the bags shut and set them behind the armchair by the bedroom door, completely hidden from anyone standing in the hallway.

At three in the morning, Lauren went back to Cole’s study with her phone camera ready.

She opened the left desk drawer where Cole kept the leather-bound household expense ledgers lined up by year.

She opened the current ledger to the December page, flipping past handwritten entries for condo maintenance fees, parking garage charges, and dry cleaning bills.

In the margin next to the monthly line for household expenses and baby care, Cole had written a note in dark ink.