The message in the family group chat came a few days later. Diane wrote: “I have tried to handle a painful situation privately. I have extended every possible patience and am now taking formal steps to protect the family’s integrity, with the help of Harwick Investigative Solutions.” Fourteen people were on the thread.
Sarah watched the replies come in—support for Diane, a few carefully neutral responses, and one cousin who privately messaged Sarah asking what was going on. Sarah didn’t answer. She didn’t know how to explain what was happening in a way that wouldn’t make everything worse. She put her phone face-down on the table and left it there.