“I went for a drive.
Cleared my head.”
“Good.” He turned back to the stove.
“That’s good.”
I set my bag down and went upstairs to change.
In the bedroom, I checked my phone.
No message from Patricia yet.
I changed my clothes and went back down.
We ate dinner.
Daniel talked about the news, about a road closure near his office, about whether we should repaint the back fence before winter.
I answered everything.
Ava answered everything.
The pasta was good.
I told him so.
After dinner, he poured himself a whiskey and settled into his chair.
At 8:12, my phone buzzed in my pocket.
I stood up and said I was going to check on the laundry.
In the hallway, I read Patricia’s message.
*Detective Reyes will be at your home tomorrow at 10 a.m.
Do not tell Daniel.
If he leaves the house before then, call me immediately.*
I put the phone back in my pocket and walked back into the living room.
Daniel looked up.
“Everything okay?”
“Laundry’s done,” I said, and sat back down.
He looked at me for just a moment longer than necessary.
Then he looked back at the television.
Daniel did not go to work the next morning.
He came downstairs at seven-thirty and said he’d decided to take a personal day.
He said he was tired.
He said he wanted a slow morning.
I stood at the kitchen counter and poured his coffee and handed it to him and said that sounded nice.
Inside, I was calculating.
Patricia had said: *if he leaves the house before then, call me immediately.* She had not told me what to do if he stayed.
I sent her a message from the bathroom: *He’s home.
Not leaving.
What do I do?*
Her reply came in three minutes.
*Detective Reyes is already on his way.
He knows the situation may be fluid.
Stay calm.
Do not let Daniel leave once Reyes arrives.*
I put the phone away and went back to the kitchen.
