Chapter 7: Someone Was in My House
“Show me your phone,” I said.
Michael stared at me.
“What?””
“Your phone. Now.””
He pulled it from his pocket and placed it on the conference table.
Charles leaned forward.
“James, Michael is standing here.””
“I know.””
Another security alert appeared.
*STUDY WINDOW OPENED.*
My stomach tightened.
Rebecca stood.
“Call the police.””
I already was.
I gave the dispatcher my address and explained that someone had entered using my brother’s security code.
Then I opened the security app.
Living room camera.
Empty.
Kitchen.
Empty.
Front hallway.
Empty.
“Study,” Michael said.
I tapped it.
The feed was black.
“Camera offline.””
Elaine leaned closer.
“Try recorded footage.””
I rewound.
There.
At 11:47 a.m., the front door opened.
A man stepped inside wearing a dark baseball cap and gray jacket.
His face stayed angled away from the camera.
He entered Michael’s code.
Then he looked directly at the lens.
My chest tightened.
“Pause.””
Elaine froze the image.
The man wore gloves.
But on his left wrist was a silver watch.
Michael whispered, “I’ve seen that watch.””
“Where?””
“Ryan.””
I shook my head.
“Ryan was with Sarah five minutes ago.””
“Then who?””
The man disappeared toward my study.
Twenty seconds later, the camera feed died.
I checked the driveway camera.
A black SUV sat across the street.
No visible plate.
David drove a black SUV.
“David,” I said.
Charles looked sick.
Rebecca grabbed her briefcase.
“Police handle the house. We need to protect the trust.””
I looked at her.
“What do you mean?””
“If David knows the contents of the box and believes you have evidence, he may attempt financial transfers before we can freeze anything.””
Charles stood.
“I’ll contact the bank.””
Michael pointed toward my phone.
“James.””
Another alert.
*GARAGE DOOR OPENED.*
Then:
*GARAGE DOOR CLOSED.*
The driveway camera showed the black SUV pulling away.
“He’s leaving.””
The dispatcher told me officers were approaching.
I wanted to drive home.
Rebecca stopped me.
“Do not walk into a potentially active crime scene.””
“That’s my house.””
“And the police can secure it.””
My phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered immediately.
“Sarah?””
Nothing.
Then Ryan spoke.
“James.””
“Where is my wife?””
“Not with me anymore.””
Every muscle in my body tightened.
“What does that mean?””
“David took her.””
Charles stood so quickly his chair fell backward.
“Where?””
Ryan’s breathing was ragged.
“I don’t know.””
“You were with her.””
“We stopped at a gas station. David came out of nowhere.””
“Did he hurt her?””
“He dragged her into his SUV.””
“Why didn’t you stop him?””
“I tried!””
His voice cracked.
“He had a gun.””
The room went silent.
“Did you call police?””
“No.””
“Why?””
“Because I’m already involved in enough.””
I nearly crushed the phone.
“You helped break into my desk.””
“Yes.””
“You tried to open my document box.””
“Yes.””
“You helped forge documents.””
“No.””
“Then start telling the truth.””
Ryan breathed heavily.
“I needed money.””
“For what?””
“My mother’s medical debt.””
“Sarah paid you sixty thousand dollars?””
“No.””
I frowned.
“The transfer says sixty thousand.””
“I got ten.””
“Who got the rest?””
“David.””
I looked at Charles.
He closed his eyes.
“What did Sarah hire you to do?””
“Get copies of whatever was inside the black box.””
“Why?””
“She said you were hiding assets before divorcing her.””
“She filed for divorce.””
“I know that now.””
“You expect me to believe you were innocent?””
“No.””
That answer surprised me.
“I knew it was wrong,” Ryan said.
“I just didn’t know what they were really doing.””
“Who is they?””
“Sarah and David.””
I looked at Elaine’s photograph of them kissing.
“How long have they been together?””
“At least a year.””
The words cut deeper than I expected.
“Did Sarah know David before she hired you?””
“Yes.””
“How?””
Ryan hesitated.
“Through your brother.””
Michael’s head snapped up.
“What?””
I put the call on speaker.
“Say that again.””
“David told me Michael introduced them.””
Michael stepped toward the phone.
“That’s a lie.””
Ryan continued.
“Some charity dinner. Two years ago.””
Michael’s face changed.
Not guilt.
Recognition.
“Oh, hell.””
“What?””
Michael rubbed his forehead.
“The Hawthorne Foundation dinner.””
“You introduced Sarah to David?””
“I introduced everyone to everyone. There were two hundred people there.””
Charles asked, “Was David invited?””
“No.””
Michael looked at him.
“He came with someone from the foundation.””
“Who?””
“I don’t remember.””
Ryan suddenly said, “James, there’s something else.””
“What?””
“David doesn’t care about the house.””
Rebecca and I exchanged a glance.
“Then why fake the ownership transfer?””
“To keep you fighting Sarah.””
“Distract me.””
“Yes.””
“From what?””
“The trust.””
I thought of the $487,320 balance.
“That account?””
Ryan laughed bitterly.
“That’s nothing.””
My skin prickled.
“How much?””
“I don’t know exactly.””
“Guess.””
“David said your father hid everything after he discovered money disappearing.””
“How much money?””
“Millions.””
Charles whispered, “No.””
Ryan heard him.
“He knows.””
I looked at Charles.
“What does he mean?””
Charles shook his head.
“James—”
“What does he mean?””
Before Charles could answer, Ryan spoke.
“Ask him about Hawthorne Development Reserve.””
Charles went completely still.
I stared at him.
“What is that?””
He didn’t answer.
“Charles.””
“It was an investment reserve your father established.””
“How much?””
“At its peak?””
“Yes.””
He swallowed.
“Just over fourteen million dollars.””
I couldn’t speak.
Ryan said, “David thinks the money still exists.””
“Does it?””
Charles looked away.
My phone beeped.
The police officer at my house was calling.
I answered.
“Mr. Hawthorne?””
“Yes.””
“We’ve cleared the residence.””
“Was anything taken?””
“We’re still checking. But there’s something you should see.””
“What?””
“We found a hidden device attached beneath the desk in your study.””
My chest tightened.
“What kind of device?””
“A camera.””
I looked around the conference room.
Sarah had been watching my documents.
David had been watching the storage unit.
Someone had been watching my study.
Then the officer added, “And Mr. Hawthorne, the camera wasn’t installed today.””
“How do you know?””
“It’s covered in dust.””
I gripped the table.
“How long?””
“Hard to say.””
May you like
The officer paused.
“But the memory card contains recordings dating back almost eleven months.””
