“Hang up.”
I continued.
“There’s something else you should know.”
I looked at the empty velvet bracelet case sitting on the counter.
“The bracelet Vanessa is wearing isn’t the original.”
“What?”
“My mother’s real bracelet has been secured in a bank vault for eight months.”
There was another long silence.
“The one you took is a replica.”
Vanessa said something angry in the background.
I almost smiled.
“But thank you for sending me a photograph of yourselves wearing property you removed from my home.”
Daniel’s breathing changed.
“Audrey, listen. We can fix this.”
“No.”
I paused.
“You thought you were leaving me with nothing.”
Then I added,
“You underestimated the wrong person.”
PART 3
By 8:10 that morning, Daniel and Vanessa were no longer preparing to board their flight.
Airport personnel delayed their departure after our corporate attorney reported that Daniel was carrying company property that required review.
