I came home from a business trip expecting silence, not a note from my husband: “Take care of the old woman in the back room.”

“Evie! We’re home!” Daniel’s voice rang out, bright and cheerful.

I stood by the kitchen island, clutching a warm coffee mug, forcing my muscles to relax. I took a deep breath, plastering a look of exhausted relief onto my face.

“In the kitchen!” I called back, pitching my voice to sound tired.

Daniel walked in, looking tanned and relaxed in his expensive linen shirt. Lorraine followed close behind, her designer handbag swinging on her arm, her eyes darting quickly toward the hallway leading to the back bedroom.

“Oh, honey, you look awful,” Daniel said, wrapping his arms around me. I forced myself not to flinch. His cologne smelled like expensive gin and lies. He kissed my forehead. “Was the flight delayed?”

“No, just a long trip,” I sighed, leaning into the performance. “I’ve been dealing with a massive headache since I got back an hour ago.”

Lorraine stepped forward, offering a sickly-sweet smile. “Did you check on Margaret, dear? Daniel told me you insisted on keeping her locked in the back room because she was wandering at night. So sad to see her mind go like this.”

The audacity of her lie was staggering. She was planting the narrative, testing my reaction.

“I peeked in,” I lied smoothly. “She’s fast asleep under the covers. I didn't want to wake her. It smells a bit stale in there, though. I was going to clean it up after I rested.”

Daniel and Lorraine exchanged a lightning-fast glance. Relief washed over their faces. They thought I hadn't noticed the bruises. They thought the pills were working.

“Don't worry about it tonight, Evie,” Daniel said, rubbing my shoulders. “You work too hard. How are things at your little consulting firm? Any big spreadsheets to color-code?”

I took a slow sip of my coffee. “Just the usual. Actually, my accountant mentioned something about an emergency reserve authorization. Did you get any weird emails from the bank?”

Daniel’s hand paused on my shoulder for a fraction of a second. “No. Must be a glitch. You know how those automated systems are. I’ll look into it for you on Monday if you want.”

“Thanks, sweetie,” I said.

Dinner was a masterclass in psychological torture. I sat across from the two people I had considered family, watching them laugh, pour wine, and discuss their weekend. Lorraine complained about the spa service. Daniel talked about buying a new boat for the lake house—Margaret’s lake house, which he secretly believed was already his.

Every time they smiled, I heard the audio recording in my head: The police will believe the exhausted daughter-in-law before they suspect us.

“I’m going to go check on Grandma,” Daniel said suddenly, standing up from the table. “Just to see if she needs water.”

My pulse spiked. If he moved the blanket and saw the pillows, the game was over.

“I locked the door from the outside,” I said quickly.

Daniel stopped. “You did?”

“Yes,” I said, looking him dead in the eye. “Like Lorraine said, she wanders. I didn't want her falling in the kitchen while we were eating. Let her sleep, Daniel. She needs her rest.”