"How did you sleep, sweetheart?" Over breakfast, Marcus asked, buttering his toast with the care of a man who hadn't spent the previous evening talking about elimination strategies with his co-conspirator.
From her coffee, Aria looked up with what she thought was the right degree of morning grogginess. "Well enough, though late last night I heard voices. Was Bella present?"
"Just briefly," Marcus said, his voice dismissive. "She worried about your health following that you had dizzy spells earlier this week. You know how troubled she gets about you."
"She's such a good friend," Aria said aloud with appreciative warmth. "I'm fortunate to have someone who worries so much about me."
"In fact, you are," Marcus examined his watch with the disciplined accuracy of a working executive. "I will be mostly out today—client meetings in downtown and that presentation to the Morrison Group. You ought to spend some time with yourself. Perhaps shop and get some fresh air."
"That sounds perfect," Aria said, her actual plans already racing through her head. "I have my day in the city planned. Clear my head and maybe grab something decent for supper."
Marcus' expression lightened with clear approval. "Great. Just keep in mind to relax and stop worrying about business affairs. My work is just about that."
An hour after Marcus left for his "meetings," Aria was in her car headed toward downtown, specifically to an address she had investigated the night before: Huang Investigations, a discreet private investigation company focused on what their website euphemistically called "marital documentation services."
The office was housed in a professional building that, without drawing attention, suggested competency. Looking up as Aria walked in was the receptionist, a woman in her forties with soft eyes and a knowing look.
"Good morning. How can we assist you today?"
"I have to talk to someone about... documenting infidelity," Aria said, the words feeling weird in her mouth even if they were accurate.
"Of course. Let me check to see whether Sarah is free. She is our lead researcher for these kinds of inquiries."
Sarah turned out to be a woman in her early fifties with graying hair, intelligent eyes, and the kind of calm professionalism that suggested she had seen every variety of human betrayal possible.
"Please, have a seat, Mrs....?"
"Aria Chen-Stones."
"Mrs. Chen-Stones, what particular proof do you seek?"
Aria inhaled deeply, ready to negotiate the line separating truth from strategic omission. "I need picture evidence of my husband's affair with my best friend."
Sarah's expression stayed the same—clearly, this was common to her. "How long have you supposed the relationship to be?"
"Several months, though I just lately found conclusive evidence." Pulling out her phone, Aria showed Sarah some of the recorded audio clips. "I need visual documentation for legal reasons even though I have audio proof of them talking about their relationship."
Sarah listened to a quick clip of Marcus and Bella talking about their "timeline," her face becoming more focused. "This sounds rather like sophisticated planning for an ordinary affair. "Are there any other issues I should know about?"
'Other issues like systematic theft and murder schemes? Where in particular should I start?' Aria thought.
"My husband has been... financially manipulative," she said warily. "I wonder about possible business dealings I'm not aware of. It would be wonderful if your monitoring could record any odd events or meetings."
"Absolutely. Our area of expertise is thorough paperwork." Sarah started noting down some things on a legal pad she pulled out. "What's your timeline for this research?"
"As fast as one could go. I have cause to think their activities are getting more frequent."
"Understood. Our normal surveillance package calls for pattern analysis, financial transaction monitoring, and picture evidence. We keep thorough records that stand up in court and use professional-grade tools."
For the next hour, Sarah described a thorough surveillance plan that would have delighted military strategists. Discrete tracking of Marcus and Bella's known whereabouts, pictures of their meetings, and careful observation of their conversations.
"In my experience," Sarah said as the discussion came to an end, "people having affairs follow predictable patterns. No exceptions, not even your husband's and friend's behavior. The evidence you need will be here in a few days."
'If only affairs were her main concern,' Aria thought, but she nodded and gave Sarah cash for the first week of surveillance.
"We'll start right now," Sarah said. "I'll call you soon with initial findings."
Aria kept her cover story for the rest of the day, shopping for things she didn't need while her mind ran with preparations and backup. Every action she made was toward the final confrontation with Marcus and Bella, but each bit of evidence also drew her toward the perilous climax of their plot.
Later that evening, her phone rang with an unidentified number while she was making dinner.
"Mrs. Chen-Stone? This is Sarah right here. From today's surveillance, we have preliminary findings."
The pulse of Aria sped up. "Already?"
"Your friend and husband keep quite regular meeting times. We have pictures to confirm their relationship."
"What kind of confirmation?"
"Excellent pictures capturing private activity at the Meridian Hotel downtown. Clear faces, timestamps, and recorded financial transactions demonstrating your husband's credit card linked to your business account paying for the room."
Aria closed her eyes, a mixture of disgust and satisfaction. "What kind of private activity?"
"Sufficiently private to validate a sexual relationship outside all reasonable doubt. But Mrs. Chen-Stones, you also should be aware of something else."
Sarah's voice had a tone that made Aria's stomach tighten with expectancy.
"What is it?"
"Your husband isn't only seeing your friend. We recorded him scheduled for a separate meeting this afternoon with a man seemingly to be a doctor. Their meeting at a private medical clinic seemed to be rather heated."
Aria's blood cooled. Marcus' space already included the dishonest doctor; thus, the murder time frame was more advanced than she had thought.
She managed to ask, "A doctor?" Her voice was steady despite her pounding heart. "What sort of doctor would my husband need to meet secretly?"
"That's what we hope to uncover," Sarah said. "But I would advise great care based on what we saw today. Your husband's behavior points to a more complicated picture than a straightforward extramarital affair."
'Complicated picture,' Aria thought grimly as she hung off the line. 'If only she knew just how complicated.'