Chapter 5: The Man Named Marcus
Jasmine called Carla that same afternoon and told her about the text message.
Carla was quiet for three full seconds.
That was never a good sign.
"Marcus," Carla repeated.
"That's what Dad said.
*It's almost done.
Just be patient.*"
"And your dad has no idea who this person is."
"He says he doesn't."
"Has he tried to find out?"
"I don't think so."
Carla exhaled slowly.
"Okay.
Don't do anything dramatic.
Don't confront Jessica yet.
Does she know your dad told you about the message?"
"I don't think so.
He only mentioned it because I was already pushing him."
"Good.
Keep it that way." A pause.
"Jasmine, I want you to think carefully.
Is there anyone in Jessica's life you've actually met?
A friend, a coworker, someone she mentions by name?"
Jasmine thought about it.
Jessica didn't bring people to the house.
She'd always explained that away — she liked to keep home and work separate, she said.
She liked her privacy.
"There's a woman named Donna," Jasmine said slowly.
"She calls the landline sometimes.
Jessica always takes the call in the other room."
"Does your dad know Donna?"
"I don't think so.
I've never heard him mention her."
"Alright." Carla's voice had gone careful and deliberate, the way it did when she was thinking three steps ahead.
"Here's what I want you to do.
Nothing aggressive.
Just pay attention.
If Jessica gets any calls, note the time and which room she takes them in.
If she leaves the house unexpectedly, note when and how long she's gone.
Write it down.
Don't tell your dad yet.
He's already wobbly, and if Jessica senses that he's been talking to you, she'll change her behavior."
"You think she'd know?"
"I think she's been very careful for a very long time," Carla said.
"And careful people notice when the air in the room changes."
---
Jasmine noticed things she hadn't let herself notice before.
Jessica checked her phone more than she used to.
She did it at the dinner table, quickly, screen angled away.
She did it standing at the kitchen counter when she thought no one was watching.
Once, Jasmine came downstairs at eleven at night for a glass of water and found Jessica sitting at the kitchen table in the dark, phone in hand, typing.
Jessica looked up.
Neither of them spoke.
Jasmine poured her water and went back upstairs.
She wrote it down.
*11:14 PM.
Kitchen.
Dark.
Phone.
Typing.
Stopped when she saw me.*
---
Nine days after the conversation in the study, Jasmine found something.
She wasn't looking for it.
She had gone to the recycling bin in the garage to break down some cardboard boxes.
Underneath the boxes, half-folded, was an envelope.
It had been opened.
The return address had been torn off carefully, leaving only a small ragged edge.
But the name on the front was still there.
*Jessica Holloway.*
Jessica's maiden name.
Not her married name.
Jasmine stood in the garage for a moment.
Then she took the envelope inside, went to her room, and closed the door.
Inside the envelope was a single sheet of paper.
At the top was the name of a law firm.
*Hartley & Crane, Family and Property Law.* The letter was dated six weeks ago.
It was addressed to Jessica Holloway and began with the words: *Further to our consultation of the 14th, please find enclosed the summary of options regarding the transfer of jointly held residential property in the event of—*
The rest of the sentence was cut off.
The page had been torn.
Deliberately, it seemed.
Just enough to remove the most important part.
Jasmine photographed both sides of the letter with her phone.
She photographed the envelope.
She put everything back exactly as she'd found it, tucked it under the cardboard, and went inside.
Her hands were steady.
She was surprised by that.
She texted Carla a single line: *I found something.
Call me when you can.*
Carla called within four minutes.
Jasmine read the letter aloud.
There was silence on the other end.
Then Carla said: "Hartley and Crane.
I've heard of them.
They handle high-value property disputes." Another pause.
"Jasmine.
She consulted a property lawyer six weeks ago.
Using her maiden name."
"She's been planning a way to get the house," Jasmine said.
It wasn't a question.
"It looks that way." Carla's voice was very even.
"And she's doing it under a name your dad doesn't know she's still using."
Jasmine sat on the edge of her bed.
"What do I do with this?"
"Nothing yet," Carla said.
"But I'm calling my old supervisor tomorrow.
She's a family law attorney.
I want to ask her something."
"What?"
May you like
Carla hesitated only slightly.
"I want to know," she said, "whether any of this is enough to challenge the deed."
