Chapter 8 - SOMEBODY IS WATCHING
Adrian called Olivia immediately.
No answer.
Again.
Nothing.
His panic returned full force.
He called Julia.
“She’s with me,” Julia answered.
Adrian closed his eyes.
“Where?”
“At your house.”
“She got home?”
“Twenty minutes ago.”
“Do not let her outside.”
“What happened?”
“I’ll explain later. Lock every door.”
Adrian sent the photograph to police.
The detective studied it.
“This was taken today.”
“I know.”
“Whoever sent it is close.”
Adrian’s phone buzzed again.
Another message.
OPEN RACHEL’S ACCOUNTING FILE.
Nothing else.
The detective connected the USB to an isolated computer.
Folders appeared.
HOTEL.
VANESSA.
TRANSFERS.
A folder labeled M.
Inside were bank transactions from twelve years earlier.
Thousands of dollars moved through false vendor accounts.
Adrian scanned the names.
Then he saw one he knew.
MORGAN FINANCIAL SERVICES.
His face changed.
“My brother used to work there.”
The detective looked up.
“Your brother?”
“Ethan.”
Adrian hadn’t spoken to Ethan in nearly three years.
Their relationship had collapsed after their father’s estate was divided.
Ethan believed Adrian received more than his share.
Adrian believed Ethan had become bitter and unstable.
Clara whispered, “Rachel knew Ethan?”
“Of course. He was my brother.”
“Did she trust him?”
Adrian paused.
“Not really.”
The detective searched company records.
Morgan Financial Services had closed nine years earlier.
One of its former employees:
Ethan Hayes.
Adrian felt sick.
“No.”
The detective opened another file.
Emails.
Vanessa to Ethan.
Ethan to Vanessa.
The dates went back more than a decade.
Vanessa: Rachel found the second account.
Ethan: Keep her quiet.
Vanessa: She’s threatening to tell Adrian.
Ethan: Then scare her.
Adrian stood.
“My brother was involved.”
Clara watched him carefully.
The detective continued scrolling.
Then stopped.
“There’s something newer.”
An email from six months ago.
Ethan to Vanessa:
He still keeps most of the accounts under the same security habits. Get close to Adrian. I’ll handle the rest.
Adrian felt dizzy.
Vanessa hadn’t fallen in love with him.
She had been sent.
His entire relationship was a setup.
Then another email.
Vanessa: Clara remembers me.
Ethan: Then get rid of Clara before she talks.
Adrian whispered, “The stroller.”
The detective nodded.
“Looks like Vanessa staged the incident to frame Clara.”
Adrian looked at Clara.
“I almost helped them.”
Clara’s eyes softened for the first time.
“You didn’t know.”
“I should have.”
The detective suddenly sat straighter.
A final file had opened.
A recent photograph.
Adrian’s house.
Taken from across the street.
Timestamped that morning.
Another.
Olivia’s school.
Another.
Emma at the park with Clara.
Then the final image loaded.
Adrian’s blood ran cold.
It showed Ethan standing in the nursery.
Holding Emma.
May you like
The timestamp was from three days ago.
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