Chapter 7 - The Bait and the Trap
On Wednesday evening, Morgan walked back into the apartment with a soft, compliant smile on her face. Julian was sitting at the kitchen table, looking haggard and stressed, rubbing his temples as he stared at his laptop screen.
“Julian,” Morgan said softly.
He looked up, blinking in surprise.
“I’ve been thinking about what you said regarding the Door County cottage,” Morgan continued, keeping her voice steady and yielding. “We have so much debt, and… maybe you’re right. Memories don't pay bills. Let’s sell it.”
Julian’s eyes widened, disbelief and overwhelming greed warring on his face. He jumped up from his chair, a manic grin spreading across his lips. “Really? Morgan, oh babe, you’re making the smartest decision of your life! I knew you’d come around!”
He lunged forward to hug her, but Morgan subtly stepped to the side, checking her watch under the guise of fatigue.
“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” Morgan said, pulling away smoothly. “We need to do it right. Let’s schedule a formal signing meeting tomorrow afternoon at my lawyer’s downtown office. The buyer’s representative will be there with a cashier's check for four hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and we can sign the transfer deed in person.”
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Julian didn't care about the venue; the mention of a four-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-dollar cashier's check blinded him to all reason. “Tomorrow afternoon? Perfect! I’ll call the buyer right now. We’ll finalize everything.”
That night, Julian was practically vibrating with excitement. He poured champagne, toasted to their "bright new future," and treated Morgan with an exaggerated, sickening sweetness. Morgan smiled back, playing her part to absolute perfection, while secretly keeping her hand inside her coat pocket, resting against the small recording device and the Ziploc bag containing the corroded necklace.
