\n
I parked Marcus\u2019s truck under the shade of a large oak tree and walked down the sidewalk under the dim streetlights. The evening air was cool, carrying the sweet smell of jasmine from the front yards.
\nAs I approached my property, I saw it immediately.
\nMy custom Ford F-150 was parked in the driveway, covered in sea spray and dirt from the marina. Parked right beside it was a sleek black Mercedes-Benz E-Class.
\nInside the house, the ground-floor lights were dim, but warm yellow light spilled from the second-floor master bedroom windows. Faint music\u2014smooth jazz\u2014was drifting through the open patio doors.
\nI walked up the front steps, my footsteps completely silent on the concrete.
\nI reached into my pocket, pulled out my house key, and inserted it into the deadbolt. The lock turned with a soft, metallic click.
\nI opened the front door and stepped inside.
\nThe foyer smelled of expensive perfume, scented candles, and cooked steak\u2014a stark contrast to the sterile, dusty smell of military barracks I had lived in for months.
\nOn the entryway table sat a half-empty bottle of two-hundred-dollar champagne, two crystal glasses bearing lipstick marks, and a pair of designer men\u2019s leather shoes I had never seen before.
\nI picked up my phone, pressed record on an encrypted audio video app, and secured it in my front shirt pocket, the lens peaking out perfectly over the seam.
\nI walked slowly up the carpeted stairs, my military training making every step weightless and silent.
\nThe master bedroom door was half-open.
\nInside, Natalie was standing in front of her vanity mirror in a red silk dress, laughing as Julian Vance stood behind her, wrapping his arms around her waist and sliding a diamond bracelet onto her wrist.
\n\u201cYou\u2019re sure David won’t check the credit card statements until he gets back next month?\u201d Julian was saying, his voice thick with smug satisfaction. \u201cI\u2019d hate for your hero husband to cut off our fun early.\u201d
\nNatalie threw her head back, letting out a airy, dismissive laugh.
\n\u201cDavid is thousands of miles away sleeping on a cot in the sand, Julian,\u201d she scoffed, tilting her head back to kiss his cheek. \u201cHe\u2019s a soldier. He does what he\u2019s told, he sends his paycheck home, and he doesn’t ask questions. He\u2019s too dense to figure out anything.\u201d
\nI stepped through the doorway, leaning my frame casually against the doorframe, crossing my arms over my chest.
\n\u201cYou always did underestimate my attention to detail, Natalie,\u201d I said, my voice ringing out clearly through the bedroom.<\/p>\n