Chapter 2: The Badge and the Missing Hour
Thomas finally explained that the conference had been scheduled for weeks.
He had been assigned to escort several executives from his company through the afternoon sessions. The woman, Marissa Cole, was one of the regional managers attending the event.
Evelyn listened without interrupting.
That alone made Thomas nervous.
She had expected anger.
Instead, she asked questions.
“What time did you leave this morning?”
“Eight-thirty.”
“And what time did you tell me?”
“About nine.”
“You changed it.”
“I was delayed.”
“By what?”
“Traffic.”
Evelyn looked at him for several seconds.
“That answer took you two seconds longer than the others.”
Thomas sighed.
They had been married thirty-four years. Evelyn knew his pauses. She knew when he was angry, when he was tired, and when he was trying to avoid an argument.
But knowing someone for three decades didn’t always mean knowing what they were hiding.
Marissa finally spoke.
“Thomas didn’t ask me to come alone.”
It was the first time she had said anything.
Evelyn turned toward her.
Marissa continued carefully.
“Our company arranged transportation for the executives. The driver couldn’t find the entrance. Thomas offered to bring me from the parking area.”
That explanation was ordinary.
Almost painfully ordinary.
Evelyn looked at the conference badge again.
The suspicion in her face weakened.
Then Thomas made a mistake.
He said, “I was going to explain everything tonight.”
Evelyn’s expression hardened.
“Everything?”
Thomas stopped.
“What does that mean?”
“I didn’t mean—”
“You said everything.”
Thomas looked away.
Evelyn stepped closer.
“What exactly were you going to explain?”
He didn’t answer.
The silence was worse than an accusation.
Finally he said, “It’s about a decision I made at work.”
“What decision?”
“I can’t discuss it here.”
Evelyn gave a bitter smile.
“There it is.”
“What?”
“Another thing I’m not allowed to know.”
Thomas’s jaw tightened.
“This isn’t about Marissa.”
“Then what is it about?”
He looked toward the hotel entrance again.
“I need to get inside.”
Evelyn stepped aside.
“Fine.”
Thomas walked toward the doors.
Then his phone buzzed.
He pulled it out instinctively.
Evelyn saw the screen for only a second.
A message preview appeared.
We need to talk before tonight. She can’t know yet.
Thomas immediately locked the phone.
Evelyn’s face went still.
He saw that she had read it.
“Evelyn—”
She raised one hand.
“No.”
This time, she wasn’t asking for an explanation.
She was trying to decide whether she wanted to hear one.
