Page 23 of The Chain

Melanie asks her some verification questions and then gets to the point: “Apparently someone used your card to purchase ten thousand dollars’ worth of Bitcoin. Do you know anything about that?”

“You didn’t stop the order from going through, did you?”

“No, we didn’t. Um, but we were wondering—”

“It was me. I did it. It’s all fine. It’s an investment I’m making with my husband. Look, I’m really in the middle of something, I have to go.”

“So there’s been no unusual activity?”

“Nope. Nothing unusual. All good here. But thank you for calling. I really have to go. Goodbye,” Rachel says and hangs up.

At the hardware store she gets a board made for the Appenzellers’ basement window and when she’s on the way back home, Marty calls. Finally!

She tries not to burst into tears at his always amiable and cheery “Hey, sweetie, what’s up?”

For some reason, you can’t really hate Marty no matter how much you want to. Something about those green eyes and that dark wavy hair. Rachel’s mother had warned her that he was a rogue, but that kind of talk has always backfired on mothers.

“Tammy said something about a leaky roof?” Marty inquires.

“What?”

“The roof. Tammy said rain was coming in?”

“Where are you, Marty?” she asks and almost addsI need you.

“I’m in Augusta. We’re down here for the retreat.”

“When are you coming back?”

“I’ll be back Friday evening to take Kylie for the weekend, don’t worry.”

Rachel stifles a sob. “Oh, Marty,” she whispers.

“That’s tomorrow, hon. Hang in there.”

“I will.”

“This isn’t about the roof, is it? What’s happening, babe? Something’s wrong. Tell me.”

Aside from the fact that I’m probably dying and our daughter’s been kidnapped?she very nearly says but doesn’t. Doesn’t because Marty would go straight to the police and wouldn’t understand.

“Is it about money? I haven’t been good, I know that. I’ll do better. I promise. Have you got a contractor?”

“No.I’ve got no help,”Rachel says in a monotone.

“How badly is the roof leaking?”

“I don’t know.”

“Look, hon, I checked the weather. No roofer will come out in the rain tonight. Maybe Pete could help?”

“Pete? Where is Pete?”

“He’s in Worcester. I think.”

“I’ll send him a text. I think I’ll be allowed to do that.”

“What are you talking about? Allowed by whom?”

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