Chapter 7 - THE MAN WITH THE BLACK HAT
Daniel came back the next morning.
He had found the SUV.
It was registered to a private security company.
The company was owned by Marcus Vale.
But the driver wasn't an employee.
His name was Victor Shaw.
Former military.
Former private investigator.
Former contractor for several companies connected to Marcus.
“Does he have a criminal record?” I asked.
“No.”
“Then why was he watching my house?”
“We don't know.”
Daniel placed another photograph on the table.
Victor Shaw.
Black hat.
Gray beard.
Exactly as Roger described.
I felt sick.
“Has he ever entered my house?”
“Not through the front.”
Daniel pointed to another photograph.
A side door.
A lock.
“Your husband replaced this lock five months ago.”
I remembered.
Gideon had told me the old lock was broken.
I hadn't questioned it.
Daniel continued.
“Your husband also installed a secondary access code.”
“Why?”
“We don't know.”
My mother suddenly spoke.
“Maybe he wasn't just bringing Celina into the house.”
Everyone looked at her.
“What do you mean?”
She looked at me.
“Maybe someone else was coming in.”
The thought made my skin crawl.
Daniel nodded.
“We considered that.”
He opened his laptop.
“We reviewed the camera footage.”
He played a recording.
2:11 a.m.
The side door opened.
Victor Shaw entered.
He remained inside for seven minutes.
Then he left.
Gideon never appeared.
Celina never appeared.
Roger was asleep.
“What was he doing?”
“We don't know.”
The next recording showed Victor entering again.
This time, he carried a small case.
Then he went upstairs.
I stopped the video.
“Upstairs?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Your bedroom.”
My blood turned cold.
He had been inside our bedroom.
The room where I slept.
Where my documents were.
Where my jewelry was.
Where I kept personal things.
Daniel said:
“We found evidence that someone had searched your drawers.”
I couldn't breathe.
“Was anything missing?”
“Not obviously.”
“Then what were they looking for?”
Daniel didn't answer.
Because we both knew.
Information.
I remembered the flash drive.
My life had been catalogued.
Everything.
But why?
Then Evelyn received a phone call.
She listened.
Her face hardened.
When she hung up, she looked at me.
“The property transfer has been moved up.”
“To when?”
“Tomorrow.”
I stood.
“What?”
“Your husband filed an emergency transfer.”
“On what basis?”
“Fraudulent documentation.”
My hands shook.
“They're trying to steal my house tomorrow.”
“Yes.”
“What do we do?”
Evelyn was already reaching for her phone.
“We stop it.”
But before she could make the call, my phone rang.
Unknown number.
I answered.
A man's voice.
“Bernice?”
“Who is this?”
“You don't know me.”
“Then why are you calling?”
“Because you're about to make a very serious mistake.”
“Who are you?”
“My name is Samuel Mercer.”
The doctor's husband.
“What do you want?”
“To warn you.”
“About what?”
“Gideon.”
I stared at Evelyn.
Samuel continued.
“My wife made a mistake.”
“What kind?”
“She falsified your evaluation.”
“I know.”
“No. You don't know why.”
“Then tell me.”
Silence.
Then:
“Because Gideon threatened her.”
My stomach tightened.
“With what?”
“Me.”
I froze.
Samuel said:
“He has photographs.”
“Of what?”
“Things that could destroy us.”
“What things?”
“I can't explain over the phone.”
“Then meet me.”
He hesitated.
“Tonight.”
“Where?”
“St. Matthew's parking garage.”
Evelyn shook her head immediately.
“No.”
I covered the phone.
She whispered, “Absolutely not.”
I spoke into the phone.
“Somewhere public.”
“Fine.”
“Coffee shop.”
“No.”
“Then I'm not coming.”
Silence.
“There's a diner on Oak Street.”
“Fine.”
“Ten o'clock.”
He hung up.
Evelyn looked at me.
“You are not going alone.”
“I wasn't planning to.”
At 9:48 p.m., we arrived.
Samuel was already there.
He looked exhausted.
He sat across from us.
Then he placed a folder on the table.
“Gideon is not trying to take your house.”
I frowned.
“Then what?”
“He's trying to make you disappear.”
The room seemed to tilt.
Samuel continued.
“Your husband is involved in a financial scheme. Marcus Vale is the organizer.”
“How much?”
“Millions.”
“And me?”
“You are the only person standing between them and the money.”
“Why?”
“Because the money is moving through accounts connected to your name.”
I stared at him.
“I never gave permission.”
“I know.”
“Then why use me?”
“Because your husband built a paper trail that makes it look like you authorized everything.”
I felt sick.
Samuel opened the folder.
There were forged documents.
Fake emails.
Fake signatures.
Fake medical records.
Fake financial authorizations.
They had built an entire second version of my life.
One where I was unstable.
One where I was reckless.
One where I had signed away everything.
Then Samuel said:
“They planned to have you arrested.”
“For what?”
“Fraud.”
I couldn't speak.
“And once you were arrested?”
“Gideon would take Roger.”
“And the money?”
“Transferred.”
I looked at Evelyn.
Everything finally made sense.
The affair.
The cameras.
The forged medical records.
The property transfer.
The night shifts.
The secret visitors.
They weren't separate events.
They were one plan.
Then Samuel whispered:
“There is one thing Gideon doesn't know.”
“What?”
“Your sister kept evidence.”
I looked at him.
“Celina?”
May you like
He nodded.
“And if she gives it to you, the entire operation collapses.”
