My mother-in-law brought thirty people to her birthday dinner and announced in front of everyone, “My daughter-in-law is paying, so order whatever you want.” When I saw the bill approaching $5,000, I pretended I was going to the restroom and quietly walked out. Two hours later, I had fifty missed calls from my husband, but he still had no idea what documents I had just taken with me.

PART 12

I assumed ten.

Maybe twelve.

I was wrong.

PART 13

I arrived straight from work.

My laptop was still in my car.

I had not even changed clothes.

The hostess smiled.

“Mrs. Holt?”

“Yes.”

“Your party is already seated.”

PART 14

She opened the private-room doors.

I stopped walking.

Nearly thirty people were inside.

PART 15

Some were relatives.

Some were Gertrude’s friends.

Some were people I had never seen.

One man looked vaguely familiar from a Christmas party three years earlier.