“She told your sisters I was trying to steal money that belonged to all of you. They began coming over while you were working. At first they made comments. Then they started ordering me around. Your mother said she would tell you I was trying to isolate you from your family.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
“Because every time I tried to talk about how much money they took from you, you defended them.”
There was no accusation in her voice.
That made it worse.
She was simply telling the truth.
I lowered my head.
“I failed you.”
“No, Ethan.”
“I left you alone with them. I paid their bills while you were skipping meals.”
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have known.”
Emily squeezed my hand.
“Three weeks ago, another envelope arrived. I hid it before your mother saw it. Tonight, they came looking for it. Brittany found the fireproof box in our closet. When I tried to stop her, she grabbed me.”
“Where is the envelope now?”
“I moved it.”
“Where?”
She hesitated.
“In the flour container above the refrigerator.”
Despite everything, a stunned laugh escaped me.
Emily managed a weak smile. “Your mother never cooks.”
Then her expression became serious.
“There’s something else. I turned on the baby monitor before they came.”
“We haven’t installed it.”
“I placed the camera on the bookshelf last month. I thought we could test it before the baby arrived. It records to the cloud.”
My heart began pounding.
“Did it record tonight?”
“I think so.”
I pulled out my phone, downloaded the monitor application, and entered the password Emily gave me.
The footage loaded.
At first, the camera showed the empty living room.
Then the front door opened.
My mother entered with my sisters.
They did not behave like guests.
They moved like people searching a crime scene.
Brittany checked beneath couch cushions. Kayla opened drawers. Lily walked toward the hallway carrying a small screwdriver.
Then Teresa appeared in front of the camera.
Her voice was perfectly clear.
“Find the blue envelope before Ethan gets home. Once that baby is born, we lose our chance.”
My blood froze.
Brittany returned to the room.
“What happens if Emily already called the lawyer?”
“Then we make Ethan believe she is after the money,” Teresa replied. “He always chooses us when we make him feel guilty.”
Kayla laughed.
“What if she tells him we’ve been using the cards?”
“He won’t believe her.”
The footage jumped forward.
Emily entered the living room, demanding they leave the bedroom.
Brittany seized her arm.
Teresa stepped close enough that her face filled the screen.
“You will sign those papers,” she said. “Everything Ethan has belongs to this family. You and that baby are not taking it.”
Emily’s voice trembled. “I don’t even know what you’re talking about.”
“You know enough to become a problem.”
