Chapter 4 - THE MAN IN MY HOUSE

I replayed the clip three times.

The man's voice was familiar.

Not a stranger.

Not a contractor.

Trent.

Vanessa's older brother.

He had always called me "the spreadsheet guy" because I built my company from accounting software and warehouse logistics. He borrowed money twice and never paid it back. I stopped lending after the second time.

The video was from nine days earlier.

Trent stepped into frame holding a beer.

"How much longer until Daniel's out of the picture?"

Vanessa laughed. "If he comes home broke, not long. He'll be depressed, embarrassed, desperate. I'll handle him."

"And the house?"

"He bought it before we married, but I'm working on that."

My jaw tightened.

Trent nodded toward the hallway. "What about the old lady?"

"She's almost done. Once she signs, I can move her somewhere cheap."

Signs what?

I downloaded the clip to an external drive.

Then another.

And another.

At 2:17 a.m., I found footage of Vanessa sitting at the dining table with papers spread in front of Mom.

"Initial here," Vanessa said.

Mom shook her head. "I don't understand it."

"You don't need to."

"I want Daniel to see it first."

Vanessa leaned close enough that the camera caught every word.

"Daniel doesn't want to deal with you. He asked me to handle this because you're becoming a problem."

Mom began to cry.

Vanessa pushed a pen into her hand.

I paused the video and zoomed in on the top page.

The image wasn't perfectly clear, but I could make out three words.

Durable Power Attorney.

I stood up.

For a moment, I wanted to march upstairs, wake Vanessa, and throw her out with whatever she could carry.

Then I saw a timestamp from four months earlier.

This wasn't rage. This was a plan.

So I made one of my own.

At 7:10 the next morning, I called my attorney, Rachel Kim, from the garage.

"I need you at my office today," I said.

"You're back?"

"Early. And I need a forensic accountant."

Her tone changed. "How bad?"

"Elder abuse. Possible financial exploitation. Forged documents."

Silence.

"Is your mother safe right now?"

"She's with me."

"Then don't confront anyone. Preserve everything."

The kitchen door opened behind me.

I turned.

Vanessa stood there barefoot.

"Who are you talking to?"

I put the phone in my pocket.

"A buyer."

Her eyes sharpened.

"I thought the deal was dead."

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I smiled.

"So did I."