James knew he had to try again and again. Little did he know that Sarah carried a secret heavier than any pile of money.
And what he would discover next would shake everything he believed. James could not stop thinking about what he had seen.
For the first time in 15 years, someone had walked past a pile of money and left it exactly where it was, only neater.
He told himself it must be a trick. Maybe she planned to come back later.
Maybe she was waiting for a bigger amount. So he decided to test her again and again and again.
Over the next three years, he set traps in every room of the house. Once he dropped $8,000 on the kitchen counter among the fruit bowls.
Another time, $10,000 scattered across the laundry room floor like forgotten laundry money. In the bathroom, he left $15,000 beside the sink as if he had counted it while brushing his teeth.
In his study, he placed bills under papers on the desk so they looked hidden, but not really.
Every single time Sarah found the money, she never took even one bill. Instead, she always did the same careful thing.
She gathered every note. She sorted them by size. She counted them out loud in a soft voice to make sure the amount was right.
Then she wrote a small note with perfect handwriting. The notes were always the same style.
$10,000 found on kitchen counter. All bills present and sorted. Sarah Miller, $15,000 located in bathroom.
Counted twice. Returned as found. Sarah Miller. She placed each note right on top of the neat stack and went back to her work.
James collected every single note. He kept them locked in his desk drawer like secret treasures.
The more notes he had, the more confused he became. Why did she never take anything?
Everyone else had. What made her different? One afternoon, James noticed something strange. Every Tuesday and every Thursday, Sarah finished her work 30 minutes early.
She would quickly tidy the last room, then leave through the side gate without saying much.
At first, James thought nothing of it. But after a few months, the pattern bothered him.
