Chapter 3 - The Message Anna Was Never Supposed to See
Anna stared at Daniel.
For several seconds, she thought she had misunderstood him.
“Your mother?”
Daniel looked at the phone again.
“I’m not saying she wrote it.”
“You just said you knew.”
“I said I know who uses that wording.”
Anna folded her arms.
“Daniel, I am too tired for military answers.”
He looked at her.
“My mother has said that exact phrase before.”
“What phrase?”
“Until we figure out what makes sense.”
Anna’s face went cold.
She remembered hearing Evelyn Mercer say those words once.
It had been after Daniel’s first long deployment.
Anna had been twenty-eight and terrified.
Evelyn had sat at Anna’s kitchen table and explained that military marriages required “practical thinking.”
Anna had never forgotten the way she said it.
Like love was a scheduling problem.
“She knew about the command?”
Daniel nodded slowly.
“I told her.”
“But not me.”
“I told her because she asked why I might come home early.”
Anna laughed without humor.
“You didn’t tell your wife, but you told your mother.”
“I know how that sounds.”
“It sounds exactly how it happened.”
Daniel sat down.
He pressed his palms together.
“I wasn’t hiding it from you.”
“You were postponing it.”
“Yes.”
“That is hiding something with better manners.”
Daniel accepted that.
Anna looked toward the boys.
Caleb had rolled onto his side.
Noah still held the teddy bear against his chest.
She lowered her voice.
“Why would Evelyn want me to leave?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don’t know.”
“I do.”
He looked up.
“She never thought I fit your life.”
“That’s not true.”
“Daniel.”
“She likes you.”
“She tolerates me.”
“That isn’t the same thing.”
Anna almost smiled despite herself.
“At least we agree on something.”
Daniel reached for his phone.
Anna watched him.
“Don’t call her.”
“I need to ask.”
“No.”
“Anna.”
“She will hear your voice and prepare an answer.”
Daniel paused.
Anna continued.
“If she did this, I want to know before she knows we suspect her.”
Daniel studied her.
“You sound like me.”
“Don’t insult me.”
That earned the smallest smile.
It disappeared when Daniel looked again at the fake email.
“There are details in here she shouldn’t know.”
“Like what?”
“The timing.”
Daniel scrolled.
“The command offer was confidential until final review.”
Anna felt another chill.
“Then how did she know?”
“I told her there was an opportunity.”
“You told her what country?”
“No.”
“You told her it was overseas?”
“Yes.”
“You told her when?”
Daniel hesitated.
“About a month ago.”
Anna slowly sat down.
The room suddenly felt smaller.
“Daniel, why were you discussing our future with her?”
He leaned forward.
“Because I was trying to decide whether I should even bring the offer to you.”
Anna stared.
“You thought you could spare me the conversation?”
“I thought I could spare you the pressure.”
“That isn’t your job.”
“I know.”
“No.”
Her voice softened.
“I don’t think you do.”
Daniel looked down.
Anna saw regret settle into his posture.
He had always been better at fixing physical problems.
Flat tire.
Broken sink.
Missed connection.
He could solve those in minutes.
But emotional damage made him impatient with himself.
Anna had once found that endearing.
Now it exhausted her.
Her phone buzzed.
Both of them looked down.
A new message appeared.
It was from Evelyn.
Anna’s heart began pounding.
The message read, Heard there were cancellations tonight. Did you and the boys make it to Denver?
Daniel slowly lifted his eyes.
“How does she know you’re going to Denver?”
Anna felt the color drain from her face.
“I didn’t tell her.”
“Did you tell anyone?”
“My sister.”
“Anyone else?”
“No.”
Daniel stood.
His calm disappeared.
Not loudly.
Not dramatically.
But completely.
“Call your sister.”
Anna dialed immediately.
Her sister Rachel answered on the fourth ring.
“Anna?”
“Did you tell Evelyn I was coming?”
There was a pause.
“No.”
“You’re sure?”
“Of course I’m sure.”
Daniel stepped closer.
Anna put the phone on speaker.
Rachel continued.
“Why?”
“Evelyn just asked whether I made it to Denver.”
Rachel went silent.
Then she said, “That’s strange.”
Daniel spoke.
“Rachel, did anyone contact you about Anna?”
“Daniel?”
“Yes.”
“You’re home?”
“I am.”
Another pause.
Then Rachel’s voice changed.
“Actually, yes.”
Anna sat straighter.
“Who?”
“Your mother called me yesterday.”
Daniel’s expression hardened.
“What did she say?”
“She asked whether Anna had made arrangements.”
Anna’s skin prickled.
“What arrangements?”
“She said you two were taking some time apart.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
Rachel continued carefully.
“She said Anna might need somewhere stable until the baby comes.”
Anna closed her eyes.
Daniel looked furious now.
Not uncontrolled.
Worse.
Focused.
“What else?”
“She asked whether my apartment had enough room for the boys.”
Anna opened her eyes.
“You didn’t think to tell me?”
“I was going to.”
“When?”
“When you landed.”
“I never landed.”
“I know.”
Rachel sounded guilty.
“Anna, I’m sorry.”
Daniel took a slow breath.
“Rachel, did my mother mention the command?”
“Yes.”
Anna looked at Daniel.
Rachel continued.
“She said you’d accepted it.”
Daniel closed his eyes briefly.
“She said you’d be gone at least two years.”
Anna felt sick.
Daniel sat beside her.
“What exactly did she say?”
“That you wanted Anna to make the move easier.”
Anna whispered.
“The move?”
“To Denver.”
Rachel’s voice lowered.
“She said it would be better if Anna left before you came home.”
Daniel stared at the floor.
Anna could see the pieces fitting together.
Evelyn had not merely expected Anna to leave.
She had prepared for it.
The fake email.
The call to Rachel.
The knowledge of the flight.
This had not been a misunderstanding.
It had been a plan.
Daniel took Anna’s phone.
He read Evelyn’s latest message again.
Then he typed nothing.
Anna watched him.
“What now?”
Daniel looked at her.
“We find out how far this went.”
He stood and picked up his own phone.
Anna’s heart tightened.
“I said don’t call her.”
“I’m not.”
“Then who?”
Daniel’s eyes were cold.
“My brother.”
Anna remembered Michael Mercer.
Daniel’s younger brother lived twenty minutes from Evelyn.
He handled most of the family’s financial paperwork.
He also had access to Evelyn’s computer whenever she needed help.
Daniel dialed.
Michael answered quickly.
“Danny?”
“Where are you?”
“At home.”
“Is Mom with you?”
“No.”
Daniel looked at Anna.
“Good.”
Michael immediately sounded concerned.
“What happened?”
Daniel’s voice stayed level.
“Have you logged into my old personal email account recently?”
Silence.
Daniel’s eyes narrowed.
“Michael?”
His brother finally spoke.
“I think you need to talk to Mom.”
Anna’s stomach dropped.
Daniel’s expression did not change.
“No.”
His voice became quieter.
“I need you to answer me.”
Another long silence.
May you like
Then Michael said the words that turned suspicion into certainty.
“She told me you asked her to handle it.”
