CHAPTER 2 — THE SECRET CAMERAS THEY NEVER FOUND
Clara laughed.
"A private investigator?"
"You've lost your mind."
Marcus laughed even harder.
"You think spying on your own wife is going to save Mommy?"
I reached into my briefcase.
Not for divorce papers.
Not for the investigator's report.
For my laptop.
I placed it on the dining table.
Clicked one folder.
HOME CAMERAS.
Clara stopped smiling.
"You installed cameras?"
"No."
"I installed evidence."
The first video appeared.
Date.
Time.
Three weeks earlier.
The front door opened.
Not delivery workers.
Three men carried expensive paintings into the house.
One of them hugged Clara.
Another kissed her cheek.
Marcus accepted a thick envelope.
Cash.
The second recording started.
Marcus opened my father's display cabinet.
He carefully removed the watch.
Placed it into a black backpack.
Then looked directly toward the hidden camera...
Without ever seeing it.
The third recording was even worse.
Clara sat laughing beside Marcus.
"If Daniel ever finds out..."
Marcus shrugged.
"He won't."
"He worships that old woman too much."
Clara smiled.
"So we blame her."
Silence filled the room.
Mom covered her mouth.
She hadn't known any of this.
I clicked another file.
Bank records.
Hundreds of thousands of dollars transferred from our joint account.
Luxury purchases.
Private hotel reservations.
Casino payments.
Hidden accounts.
Marcus slowly backed toward the door.
"I should go."
"No."
I quietly pressed one key.
The front door unlocked.
At exactly that moment...
Two police officers walked inside.
Behind them...
A financial crimes investigator.
Behind him...
My law firm's senior partner.
Clara stared at me.
"You called the police?"
"No."
"I invited witnesses."
The investigator calmly placed several documents onto the table.
"Mrs. Clara Hayes..."
"You've been under investigation for insurance fraud, tax evasion, forged signatures, and laundering stolen assets."
Marcus suddenly ran.
He made it exactly four steps.
Before officers tackled him to the floor.
The stolen watch slid from his jacket pocket.
Landing directly in front of my mother's feet.
She burst into tears.
Not because the watch had been found.
Because for the first time...
Someone finally believed her.
I thought everything was over.
I was wrong.
Because the investigator looked at me with a serious expression.
"Mr. Hayes..."
"There's one more thing you need to see."
May you like
Something far worse than theft.
Something that made even the police fall silent.
