The Briefcase

The guests were asked to leave.

Nobody wanted to.

Curiosity is stronger than etiquette, especially among wealthy families accustomed to scandals occurring quietly behind locked doors.

But eventually chairs scraped across marble and clusters of guests moved toward the exits.

Phones appeared.

Whispers spread.

By morning, Hartford society would know that the Mercer wedding had ended before the vows.

But that was not what frightened Juliette.