The smile slid right off his face when he heard her tone. Emily informed him, with unmistakable satisfaction, that the locks had been changed the day before and his spare key was now useless. She added that if he didn’t leave the porch immediately, she would call the police.
At the mention of police, he went pale and stepped back. He muttered that she would regret acting so fast. Emily replied that she had already done her grieving over the years she’d wasted, and then she shut the door firmly.
The new deadbolt clicked twice. Back on the couch, Emily unlocked her phone and saw Susan’s message still sitting there. She typed a brief reply, recommending that Susan point her grown son toward the nearest job board.
She added that Mike had just shown up at her door complaining bitterly about the cabbage-based diet at his mother’s house. Then she attached a crisp photo of her well-stocked refrigerator. On the screen gleamed marbled beef, smoked trout, artisan cheeses, fresh vegetables, and a beautiful dessert.
In her message, Emily added that access to those groceries now cost exactly $700 a month. She suggested Susan pass that information along to Mike and wished them both the best with whatever remained of the stolen sausage. A moment later, the message showed as read, and Emily tossed her phone onto the cushion beside her.
She stretched out and felt years of tension finally begin to leave her body. She knew that image had landed exactly as intended. Susan had always been practical when it came down to it, and she adjusted to changing circumstances quickly…
