Chapter 5

The first message was dated March 28.

Dana had written:

Are you sure bringing Nora here won’t cause problems? I don’t want her hiding this for us.

Mark’s reply appeared beneath it.

Evelyn knows we’re separated in every way that matters. We’re only living together temporarily. Nora understands the situation. She’ll keep our weekends private.

I read it again.

Mark hadn’t even taken Nora to Dana’s apartment yet, but he had already volunteered our daughter’s silence.

“You told her Nora would help you.” I turned the phone toward him. “So what happened in April wasn’t a last-minute decision.”

“That was…