Chapter 6 — The Flash Drive Opens
The police separated everyone before a single story could be rehearsed.
Adrian was led into the library.
His parents remained in the dining room.
The relatives were escorted to different parts of the estate.
For the first time in years...
The Caldwell family couldn't hide behind a united lie.
An ambulance treated the cut on my head.
As the paramedic wrapped the bandage, I slipped the flash drive into the lining of my handbag.
I didn't even look at it.
Not yet.
Three hours later, after giving my statement, I arrived at my condo.
The place they had tried to steal.
The place I had almost lost.
I locked every door.
Closed every curtain.
Then plugged the flash drive into my laptop.
One folder appeared.
PRIVATE – IF ANYTHING HAPPENS TO ME
Inside were hundreds of files.
Scanned bank transfers.
Hidden property records.
Emails.
Voice recordings.
Security footage.
My pulse quickened.
Then I opened a video labeled:
LAKEHOUSE – SEPTEMBER 14
The screen showed Adrian.
His father.
His older brother.
Another man I didn't recognize.
They stood inside a luxury vacation home.
The timestamp was six years old.
Voices filled the room.
"No one can know where the money came from."
Another voice answered.
"The fire solved everything."
Then came the sentence that made my blood run cold.
"She wasn't supposed to survive."
I stopped breathing.
This wasn't financial fraud.
May you like
Someone had died.
Or almost had.
