And he had done it with the help of the woman I had spent months investigating during my last assignment.

The pieces were starting to fit together, and the picture was uglier than I had imagined.

Vanessa’s involvement meant this was never just an affair.

It was a targeted strike against my entire life.

I reached the edge of the wealthy suburb where my estate lay.

The houses here were sprawling mansions, set back from the road behind high stone walls and wrought-iron gates.

I parked three blocks away, tucking the SUV into the dark driveway of an empty property.

I checked my watch.

It was two in the morning.

The streets were completely deserted, save for the occasional private security patrol vehicle.

I slipped out of the vehicle and moved through the shadows of the manicured lawns.

The air smelled of pine needles and damp earth.

I reached the high stone wall that marked the boundary of my property.

I leaped, grabbing the top of the stone, and hoisted myself over.

I dropped silently into the thick shrubbery on the other side.