Sir, do you need a maid? I can do anything – my daughter is starving.” I froze when the woman looked up. It was my wife, missing for two years, our one-year-old child sleeping soundly in her arms.

“Daniel, where are you? The board dinner begins in an hour.”

“I’ll be there,” I said.

Lena grabbed my wrist. “She’ll know.”

“No,” I replied, opening a hidden compartment in my briefcase. Inside was a secured phone connected to a federal investigator and the private intelligence firm I had hired after noticing inconsistencies in Lena’s death file.

For two years, everyone believed grief had made me weak.

In truth, grief had made me patient.

I kissed Grace’s forehead as Lena watched with frightened eyes. I wanted revenge immediately, violently, but anger was exactly what Evelyn expected. Evidence would destroy her more completely than rage ever could, and leave her nowhere to hide.

I sent one message: SHE IS ALIVE. BEGIN PHASE TWO.

Then I looked at my wife.

“Tonight,” I said, “my mother learns what it costs to bury a living innocent woman.”