I reached the section labeled ‘Emergency Reserve.’

The balance column did not show the six-digit figure that had been there last week.

It showed three hundred and twelve dollars and forty-two cents.

I stared at the number, my eyes refusing to blink.

“It’s gone,” I said.

“How much?” my father asked.

“One hundred and forty thousand dollars,” I said.

The room seemed to tilt slightly.

I grabbed the edge of the desk to steady myself.

“I’m sorry, Mark,” my father said.

“I should have called you the moment Luke started bragging.”

“But I didn’t think Linda would actually go through with it.”

“She is your mother, but she has no limits.”

“I need to call the police,” I said.

“Wait,” my father said quickly.

“If you call the local police right now, Linda will get tipped off.”

“She will move the money to an offshore account or hide the paper trail.”

“You need proof of where the money went first.”

“You need to know exactly how they executed that document.”

I took a deep, steadying breath.

My years of pilot training kicked in, overriding the panic with a cold, analytical focus.