At the back of the unit sat a small lockbox, the brass glinting faintly under fluorescent light. Maggie used the key. Inside, neatly folded, was a sealed file labeled in Daniel’s handwriting: For Margaret. The sight stole her breath. She pressed the folder to her chest, unwilling to open it there.
She locked the unit again, heart pounding. The folder remained heavy in her handbag as she drove home. She couldn’t shake the fear that inside lay proof of betrayal: another family, debts, or some criminal enterprise. Daniel’s final words returned, both promise and threat: “I’m sorry. You’ll see.”