The note was dated six weeks earlier.

SOPHIE CAME TO SCHOOL VERY HUNGRY. ASKED FOR TWO BREAKFASTS. WHEN I ASKED IF SHE HAD EATEN AT HOME, SHE SAID, "ONLY IF I AM GOOD."

Below that was another line.

SHE BECAME DISTRESSED WHEN I SAID I MIGHT CALL HOME.

Ethan read it in the principal's office with both hands clenched around the paper.

"Why wasn't I called?"

The principal looked ashamed.

"Vanessa told us Sophie had started therapy for attention-seeking behavior. She asked staff to route concerns through her because you traveled constantly."

"And you did?"

"We should have verified it with you. We didn't."

Ethan wanted to shout. Instead he asked for every email, form, note, and security record involving Vanessa.

Sophie's teacher, Mrs. Parker, came in crying.

"I knew something was wrong," she said. "I just didn't know how wrong."

She told Ethan that Sophie often saved part of her lunch in napkins and hid it in her backpack.

"I thought maybe she was feeding birds," Mrs. Parker said.

"She was saving food," Ethan whispered.

At home he searched Sophie's room.

Behind a row of stuffed animals, he found three sealed crackers, a granola bar, and half a package of pretzels.

He sat on the floor staring at them.

Sophie appeared in the doorway.

"Are you mad?"

Ethan looked up quickly. "No. Never for this."

"Vanessa said hiding food is stealing."

"It isn't stealing when you're hungry in your own home."

Sophie took a small step toward him.

"Can I keep one?"

He had to steady his voice.

"You can keep a whole box."

That night he moved a basket of snacks into her bedroom where she could reach them. He told her she never had to ask permission to eat when she was hungry.

She touched the basket like it was treasure.

Later, Martin called Ethan into the study.

"I found an old cloud backup tied to the basement camera's serial number."

"I thought it was local storage."

"It was. But it pinged a manufacturer's server for firmware updates. One diagnostic thumbnail was uploaded by mistake."

Martin turned the laptop around.

The image showed Vanessa inside the hidden room.

She was holding a stack of papers.

And standing beside her was Graham Pierce.

On the wall behind them, written in black marker, were four words:

MAKE HIM SIGN FRIDAY.

Friday was the date of Ethan and Vanessa's rehearsal dinner.