Chapter 4 - The Neighbor Who Was Watching
I stepped outside before anyone could see my reaction.
The unknown number sent another message.
COME TO THE SIDE GATE.
ALONE.
I looked through the kitchen window.
Melissa and Derek were arguing.
Mom sat at the table with both hands wrapped around a coffee mug.
I walked toward the side gate.
An elderly man stood on the other side.
I recognized him immediately.
Mr. Harrison.
He had lived next door since before Dad died.
“Rachel.”
He sounded relieved.
“You came back.”
“You sent the photograph?”
“Yes.”
“How did you get it?”
He looked toward the house.
“Your brother brought the lockbox to my garage three weeks ago.”
“Why?”
“He asked to borrow my angle grinder.”
My stomach dropped.
Mr. Harrison continued.
“He said he'd lost the key to an old toolbox.”
“But you saw what it was.”
“Yes.”
“Did he open it?”
“Eventually.”
“What did he take?”
“I don't know everything.”
He pulled out his phone.
“But my security camera caught them loading papers into Melissa's car.”
“Them?”
“Derek and Melissa.”
He showed me the footage.
The timestamp was 1:13 a.m.
Derek carried the lockbox.
Melissa carried two folders.
I recognized one immediately.
The dark green folder containing the original trust summary.
“Did Mom know?”
Mr. Harrison shook his head.
“She was visiting her sister that weekend.”
Of course.
They waited until she was gone.
“There's more.”
He hesitated.
“I've heard shouting.”
“How often?”
“A lot.”
My jaw tightened.
“And twice I saw your mother outside very late at night.”
“Doing what?”
“Crying.”
He looked ashamed.
“I asked if she needed help.”
“She told me everything was fine.”
That sounded exactly like her.
“What else?”
“One night she came over asking to use my phone.”
“Why?”
“She said Melissa had taken hers.”
I closed my eyes.
“Did she call anyone?”
“She started dialing your number.”
My chest tightened.
“What happened?”
“She stopped before finishing.”
“Why?”
“She said she didn't want to bother you while you were working.”
For several seconds, I couldn't speak.
I had spent six years telling Mom to call anytime.
And she had been suffering ten yards away from someone who could have helped her.
But fear has a way of convincing people that silence is safer.
Mr. Harrison touched my arm.
“I should have done more.”
“You're doing something now.”
He nodded toward his phone.
“I saved the camera footage.”
“Don't delete anything.”
“I won't.”
I returned inside.
Melissa was waiting.
“Where were you?”
“Getting some air.”
She studied me carefully.
“You should probably leave tonight.”
“I think I'll stay.”
“This house is crowded.”
“There's plenty of room.”
“My mother needs privacy.”
I looked toward Patricia, who was wearing one of my mother's robes.
“She has my mother's bedroom.”
Melissa's face hardened.
“Patricia has mobility issues.”
Patricia walked six miles every morning.
I didn't bother responding.
My phone buzzed again.
This time the message came from my attorney, Caroline Price.
I had texted her ten minutes earlier.
I NEED YOU TO PULL EVERYTHING ON THE HOUSE.
Her reply was short.
CALL ME NOW.
I stepped into the bathroom and locked the door.
Caroline answered immediately.
“Rachel, has anyone tried to refinance the property?”
“Yes.”
“Then we have a serious problem.”
My pulse quickened.
“What happened?”
“There was a title inquiry filed eleven days ago.”
“By whom?”
She paused.
“A company called M&D Residential Holdings.”
I stared at the wall.
M&D.
Melissa and Derek.
Caroline continued.
“And Rachel?”
“Yes?”
May you like
“They didn't just apply for a loan.”
“They filed paperwork claiming the trust transferred ownership to them eighteen months ago.”
