I leaned against the kitchen counter.
“And you never asked what he was selling?”
“He said it was complicated.”
Something inside me sank.
Not because I knew what Daniel had done.
Because I realized how much I didn’t know.
At 10:22, I called Priya Shah.
Her receptionist put me through almost immediately after I mentioned Cynthia.
Priya’s voice was warm but efficient.
I explained the previous night.
Then I explained the money.
She listened without interrupting.
When I finished, she asked one question.
“Is your husband currently in the home?”
“No.”
“Do you know where he is?”
“No.”
“All right.”
There was the sound of typing.
“First, do not empty joint accounts.”
“I wasn’t planning to.”
“Good. Second, download every statement you can access today. Bank accounts, retirement accounts, credit cards, mortgage statements, tax returns.”
“I can do that.”
“Third, if your husband returns, you are not obligated to discuss finances with him immediately.”
I looked toward Eleanor.
She was still sitting at the kitchen table, staring at nothing.
“I canceled some automatic payments.”
“That can be corrected if necessary. For now, preserve records.”
“What about the money he transferred?”
“We need to identify the destination.”
“The account is under something called DCR Consulting Holdings.”
“Do you recognize the company?”
“No.”
Priya paused.
“Do your joint tax returns list business income from that entity?”
“I don’t know.”
“Find the returns.”
I stood.
“The last three years?”
“Five, if you have them.”
I opened the hall cabinet again.
Taxes were filed by year.
I carried everything to my office.
Priya stayed on the phone while I searched.
Then I found it.
Schedule C.
Consulting income.
But the business name wasn’t DCR Consulting Holdings.
It was Daniel Reed Strategy LLC.
Different entity.
“Priya.”
“Yes?”
“I found something.”
I explained.
She was quiet for a moment.
“That doesn’t necessarily mean wrongdoing. People form multiple entities for legitimate reasons.”
“I understand.”
“But combined with hidden transfers, it means you need documentation.”
My chest tightened.
“What exactly am I looking for?”
“Anything that explains the second company.”
I flipped pages.
Nothing.
Then I noticed a page in the 2024 return.
