Chapter 7
I locked the front door.
Then checked the back.
Susan stood in the middle of the living room, trembling.
Ashley whispered, “Call the police.”
“I am.”
I dialed 911.
While I gave the dispatcher our address, Jacob moved to the window.
“Car's still there.”
“Can you see Kevin?”
“No.”
Daniel suddenly entered my mind.
I looked at Ashley.
“Call him.”
“What?”
“Now.”
She dialed.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
Her face tightened.
“He always answers.”
I told the dispatcher there might be an intruder attempting to enter.
She said officers were on the way.
Then I heard something upstairs.
A thud.
Everyone froze.
Susan's eyes widened.
“That came from the bedroom.”
I motioned for everyone to stay downstairs.
Jacob grabbed my arm.
“Don't go up there.”
“This is my house.”
“And if he has a gun?”
That stopped me.
Ashley whispered, “Dad.”
I looked at the staircase.
Another noise.
Drawer sliding.
Someone was already inside.
The dispatcher heard me.
“Sir, do not confront the person. Exit the residence if you can do so safely.”
I looked toward the back door.
Then at Susan and Ashley.
“Everyone out.”
We moved into the backyard.
Jacob stayed behind me.
We crossed into Tom's yard.
His porch light came on before we reached the door.
He opened it holding a baseball bat.
“What the hell is going on?”
“Someone's inside.”
He looked toward my house.
Police sirens approached.
Less than a minute later, two patrol cars stopped out front.
Officers entered.
We waited.
Ashley was shaking so badly Susan wrapped both arms around her.
For once, Ashley allowed it.
Five minutes passed.
Then ten.
An officer came into the backyard.
“Mr. Bennett?”
“Yes.”
“We found signs of forced entry upstairs.”
“Did you find anyone?”
“No.”
My stomach tightened.
“How did they get out?”
“Bedroom window.”
I looked toward the second floor.
A window stood open.
The officer continued.
“Do you know what's missing?”
We went inside after they cleared the house.
Our bedroom was destroyed.
Drawers open.
Closet emptied.
Mattress shifted.
My office had been searched too.
The safe was open.
Empty.
I stared.
“I changed the code.”
One officer examined the door.
“They didn't use the code.”
He pointed.
The hinges had been forced.
Passports.
Cash.
Documents.
Gone.
Then Susan screamed from upstairs.
I ran.
She stood in front of her closet.
A shoebox was open on the floor.
“What?”
“The key.”
“What key?”
“Safety deposit box.”
Of course.
Everything connected.
The hidden property documents.
Kevin hadn't come for jewelry.
He had come for proof of the land.
“Which bank?”
Susan named it.
I called immediately.
Closed.
I froze the account through the emergency number.
Then I called my attorney, Richard Hale.
He answered despite the hour.
“Mark?”
“I need help.”
Twenty minutes later, I had told him enough to make him stop interrupting.
His first instruction was simple.
“Do not sign anything.”
“I wasn't planning to.”
“No. I mean anything. No digital documents. No property forms. Nothing involving Susan, Ashley, Daniel, Kevin, or this Jacob until I verify identities and ownership.”
“Why Jacob?”
“Because a stranger appeared at midnight claiming to be your wife's long-lost son.”
I glanced at Jacob.
He heard.
“Fair,” he said.
Richard continued.
“And Mark?”
“Yes?”
“Freeze your credit.”
My stomach tightened.
The missing insurance binder contained enough personal information for identity theft.
I froze mine.
Then Susan's.
Then helped Ashley do the same.
At one thirty in the morning, police left.
They promised to contact us after reviewing neighborhood footage.
Tom gave them copies.
Kevin's sedan had been visible for almost an hour.
But the person who climbed from our second-story window wore dark clothing and a hood.
No clear face.
Then my phone rang.
Daniel.
I answered immediately.
“Where are you?”
Silence.
“Daniel.”
His voice trembled.
“I'm sorry.”
Ashley grabbed the phone from me.
“Where are you?”
“Ashley.”
“Did you break into my parents' house?”
“No!”
“Where are you?”
He began crying.
“I messed up.”
My anger rose.
“What did you do?”
Daniel spoke quickly.
“Kevin told me Mark had documents proving Susan stole money from Ashley.”
Ashley stared at me.
“What?”
“He said if I got the documents, we could make sure your money was protected before Mark moved it.”
I almost admired Kevin's skill.
He had found every insecurity in the family and turned it into a weapon.
“Did you give him access to the house?” I asked.
“No.”
“Did you give him the safe code?”
Silence.
Ashley shut her eyes.
“Daniel.”
“I gave him the old one.”
I looked toward the broken safe.
“The code was changed.”
“I know.”
“How?”
“I tried it earlier tonight.”
I stepped forward.
“You were in my house tonight?”
“No! I mean before the party.”
Ashley whispered, “When?”
“Yesterday.”
“For what?”
“To get the insurance papers.”
My fists clenched.
Susan touched my arm.
I moved away.
Daniel continued.
“Kevin said they proved Ashley was the beneficiary of a policy worth one million dollars.”
I frowned.
My policy was for five hundred thousand.
“And?”
“He said Mark had secretly changed the beneficiary.”
I shook my head.
“Ashley has been the primary beneficiary since she was ten.”
Ashley looked at me.
She hadn't known.
Daniel's voice cracked.
“I didn't find the binder.”
Because someone had taken it earlier.
Or Daniel had.
“Did you take it?”
“No.”
“Then who did?”
“I don't know.”
Ashley said, “Where are you right now?”
Daniel hesitated.
“Airport motel.”
My body went cold.
“Which one?”
He named it.
The same hotel visible in Kevin's video.
Jacob moved closer.
“Ask him if Kevin is there.”
I did.
Daniel was silent.
Then we heard a door in the background.
A man's voice.
“Who are you talking to?”
Kevin.
Ashley whispered, “Oh my God.”
Daniel suddenly shouted, “Don't—”
The call ended.
We stared at the phone.
I called 911 again.
Within minutes, police were heading toward the motel.
Ashley grabbed her coat.
“I'm going.”
“No.”
“That's my fiancé.”
“Exactly.”
“I have to—”
“You have to stay away from a man who stole from us and secretly worked with Kevin.”
“He could be in danger.”
“He put us in danger.”
Her eyes filled with tears.
“You'd go if it were me.”
That silenced me.
Because I would.
I hated that she knew it.
Jacob spoke.
“I'll go.”
I looked at him.
“Why?”
“Because Kevin dragged me into this too.”
I grabbed my keys.
“I'll drive.”
Susan stepped in front of me.
“You said you were leaving.”
“I was.”
“And now?”
I looked at her.
“Now I'm making sure Daniel doesn't end up dead.”
Ashley came too.
There was no stopping her.
We left Susan home with Tom and another officer.
At the motel, police had already arrived.
A room door stood open.
No Kevin.
No Daniel.
The bed was overturned.
Blood stained the carpet.
Ashley made a strangled sound.
An officer blocked her from entering.
“Ma'am, stay back.”
“Where is he?”
“We don't know.”
“What happened?”
“We found evidence of a struggle.”
I looked at the parking lot.
Kevin's car was gone.
Then Jacob pointed.
“That camera.”
A security camera faced the lot.
The night clerk let officers review the recording.
We stood behind them.
At 1:52 a.m., Daniel left the room.
Not dragged.
Not unconscious.
Walking.
Kevin followed.
They loaded two bags into the sedan.
Then Daniel opened the passenger door.
He stopped.
Looked directly toward the camera.
Raised one hand.
He was holding something.
A small white card.
Then Kevin slapped his arm down.
The car left.
The officer zoomed in.
The image blurred.
But I recognized the logo.
The bank where Susan kept the safety deposit box.
I looked at Jacob.
“He has the key.”
Jacob shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
“The key was taken from Susan's closet.”
“Yes.”
“Then why would Daniel hold up a bank card?”
Ashley whispered, “Because he wants us to go there.”
I checked the time.
The bank opened at eight.
Six hours.
Then my phone buzzed.
Unknown number.
A photograph loaded.
Daniel was sitting in a chair.
Blood on his face.
Behind him stood Kevin.
The message read:
8:00 a.m.
Bring Susan.
Bring Jacob.
No police.
Then another message arrived.
And bring the original deed.
I stared.
There was no original deed in our house.
I didn't even know where it was.
Jacob read the message.
Then looked at me.
“Kevin thinks you have it.”
“I don't.”
“No.”
May you like
Jacob's expression became grim.
“But I do.”
