“Then tell us everything.”
She started crying again.
“I can’t.”
“Why?”
“Because they’ll hurt me.”
The room went silent.
Andrew’s expression changed.
“Who?”
Kayla looked toward the windows.
Then whispered:
“I don’t know.”
We moved to the dining room.
Andrew locked the front door.
He closed the blinds.
I sat between them.
For the first time in my life, I felt as though I didn’t know either person sitting across from me.
My husband.
My sister.
The two people I trusted most.
Andrew placed a glass of water in front of Kayla.
“Start at the beginning.”
She wiped her face.
“Ethan lost money.”
“How much?”
“About seventy thousand.”
“Doing what?”
“Crypto.”
Andrew closed his eyes.
I almost laughed.
“Of course.”
Kayla looked at me.
“He borrowed money from someone.”
“Who?”
“He wouldn’t tell me.”
“When did you find out?”
“Two months ago.”
“And then?”
“He started getting calls.”
“Threats?”
“Yes.”
“From whom?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then why did you stay?”
“I loved him.”
I looked away.
Love had made my sister do foolish things before.
But this was different.
“Why did he throw you out?”
She swallowed.
“Because someone told him I had access to money.”
“What money?”
“Yours.”
My heart sank.
“Why?”
“Because I told him you were doing well.”
I stared.
“How did you know?”
“You told me.”
“Not about thirty-eight thousand dollars.”
“No.”
“Then why did he think I had it?”
“Because…”
She hesitated.
“Because I told him you kept emergency savings.”
I closed my eyes.
“Kayla.”
“I was angry.”
“At me?”
“At everyone.”
She cried harder.
“I didn’t mean for any of this to happen.”
Andrew’s voice was calm.
“But it did.”
“Yes.”
“Then you need to tell us the truth.”
She nodded.
“There was a man.”
“What man?”
“He came to Ethan’s work.”
“What did he look like?”
“Tall.”
“Anything else?”
“Gray hair.”
“Name?”
“Mr.
Cole.”
Andrew’s face changed.
I noticed.
“Who is Mr.
Cole?”
Andrew didn’t answer immediately.
Then:
“A former client.”
I looked at him.
“Your client?”
“Yes.”
“What does he do?”
“Private investigations.”
Kayla looked at him.
“You know him?”
“I’ve heard of him.”
She shook her head.
“He knew things about Claire.”
“What things?”
“Her finances.”
“Her marriage.”
“Her job.”
“Her house.”
I felt cold.
“Why?”
Kayla whispered:
“He said Claire was worth more than she knew.”
The words stayed with me.
Worth more than she knew.
I looked at Andrew.
“What does that mean?”
“I don’t know.”
“You’re lying.”
He looked at me.
“I swear I’m not.”
Kayla suddenly spoke.
“He also knew about Dad.”
I froze.
Our father had died twelve years earlier.
“What about Dad?”
“He said Dad left something.”
I stared.
“What?”
“I don’t know.”
“You never told me.”
“I was scared.”
“Of what?”
“He said people had been looking for it for years.”
Andrew leaned forward.
“What exactly did he say?”
Kayla closed her eyes.
“He said our father had hidden something before he died.”
“Where?”
“I don’t know.”
“What did he call it?”
She whispered:
“The ledger.”
Andrew went completely still.
I noticed.
“What?”
He shook his head.
“Nothing.”
“No.”
I stared at him.
“You know what that means.”
He didn’t answer.
“Andrew.”
He sighed.
“I’ve heard the term.”
“Where?”
“At work.”
