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She was paid a handsome annuity each month to fund her extravagant lifestyle overseas. She’d chosen Monaco most recently. But she’d done stints in Paris, London, Dubai, even Tokyo. And every year, she used emotional blackmail to get Lock to increase her allowance. He paid it mostly to keep her from coming back to Lasalle Harbor.

I took off my earrings and placed them on the counter, then hung my suit jacket on a nearby wall hook. Unbuttoning the top three buttons on my blouse, I headed for the study.

“You’ll have it,” he said. “The wire transfer has already been initiated.”

When I entered the study, Lock had his back to me. He stood at the front of his desk with the black receiver in one ear, his other hand on his hip. I watched the sharp rise and fall of his shoulders as he sighed with exasperation.

“I love you too, Mother. I’ll try to call you next week. Mina sends her love as well.”

I watched the man I loved as visions of the evidence on those papers flashed through my mind. The NDA, the nickname, the cutlery. Should I fear the man in front of me? I tried to reassure myself. Remember that Amy hadn’t recognized Lock. Perhaps it was normal in these affluent circles to have such specific obsessive tendencies around dinnerware placement? Could it be a common enough predilection for the rich and bored?

Then I heard Lock’s tone change.

“I know,” Lock said, dropping his head. “You think I could forget his birthday? Yes. I’ll take care of that too. I do every year.”

Lock leaned forward, knocking his fist against the desk. A shudder went through him as he hung up the phone. And I forced all the concerns in my head to dissipate.

I felt terrible. How could I be suspecting the man I loved?

“Lock?” I said, not wanting to startle him.

His eyes were filled with torture as he turned to me. But the second I took a step toward him, his expression brightened and turned soft.

“Mina,” he said, pulling me into an embrace. “You’re exactly what I needed.”

Despite everything I had been thinking, I loved the warmth of his hands on the small of my back. I reached up and tucked back an errant lock of hair from his forehead. I ached for him, was I letting that cloud my judgment?

“Should I even bother to ask?”

Lock sat on the edge of the desk and brought me toward him until I stood between his legs, his arms around my waist. I rested my head against his chest. He smelled good. I could feel his heartbeat beneath my cheek. Steady. Strong. Healthy.

“Same thing as always. Money. My father knew without guardrails she’d spend the family fortune in five years or less. But she resents being treated like a child, as she calls it.”

“It’s not her money,” I said. “She married into it.”

“By that argument, it’s not mine either. I was born into it.”

“So let’s spend it all. End her main reason for contacting you.”

He laughed, and I loved the vibration of his chest. I pulled away so I could see his face.

“If it were that easy, I’d have done it. But then how could I keep my gorgeous wife in the style to which she’s grown accustomed?”

“I know how to live without it. You’re the one who doesn’t. I would have signed a stronger prenup, walking away from all of it.” I spoke more quickly than I’d intended, almost defensively. The list from Corrine’s police file floated in front of my mind. That stupid NDA.

He frowned, then hooked a finger under my chin and brought my lips to his. Instantly, my heart eased. He brought me back down to earth.

“I’d give up every penny in a heartbeat,” he said. “But then I’d have no real way to help anyone. I’m doing all of this for Bennett’s Place.”

“I know,” I said. But when he mentioned Bennett’s Place, something went through his eyes. I stepped away from him.

“This mood you’re in. It’s not just about Olivia, is it? What happened?”

He shook his head. “We can talk about it later. Tell me how your day went.”

“Fine,” I said a little too quickly.

“Mina?”