Vanessa looked almost triumphant.
Nora continued.
“But she can choose to leave voluntarily before this gets uglier.”
The triumph disappeared.
Vanessa pointed at Marcus.
“He destroyed my property.”
Nora looked at the pink gown.
“Yes.”
Vanessa followed her gaze.
“This is unbelievable.”
Marcus’s voice remained calm.
“You can call the police if you want.”
The room went silent.
He continued.
“We can explain why I damaged your bag.”
He nodded toward Maya.
“And then Maya can explain why you were standing over her dress with scissors.”
Vanessa looked at the girl.
For once, Maya did not look away.
Something passed between them.
The balance had changed.
Vanessa lifted her chin.
“Fine.”
She picked up one of the bright suitcases near the wall.
Marcus noticed.
“Why are those packed?”
Vanessa froze.
Everyone looked.
Three suitcases.
Pink.
Purple.
Turquoise.
Standing neatly beside the bench.
Marcus had assumed they were stored there.
Now he saw the luggage tags.
New.
Attached.
Nora noticed too.
“You were leaving?”
Vanessa said nothing.
Marcus stepped closer.
“Where were you going?”
“New York.”
“When?”
“Tonight.”
“With three suitcases?”
“I have a week of meetings.”
“You told me you were leaving Thursday.”
Vanessa’s silence lengthened.
Nora looked at Marcus.
The second phone.
The envelope.
Packed suitcases.
The cut dress.
Suddenly the room contained more than one story.
Marcus took out his own phone.
“Jonathan.”
Vanessa’s head snapped toward him.
“No.”
He looked at her.
Jonathan Ellis was Marcus’s oldest friend, general counsel for Brooks Development, and the person Vanessa disliked most in Marcus’s professional life.
“Why not?”
“This has nothing to do with your company.”
Marcus called anyway.
Jonathan answered.
“Hey.”
“I need you at the house.”
“Now?”
“Yes.”
“What happened?”
Marcus looked at Vanessa.
“I don’t know yet.”
Jonathan arrived forty minutes later.
By then Vanessa had moved into the downstairs sitting room.
She had called her attorney.
Marcus did not stop her.
Maya sat at the kitchen island wrapped in Lillian’s coat despite the house being warm.
The pink gown remained upstairs.
No one wanted to move it.
Nora had placed the envelope and second phone inside a clear document pouch without opening either.
Jonathan entered.
He was forty-three, slender, gray beginning at his temples, still carrying his office briefcase.
He saw Maya.
“Hey.”
She attempted a smile.