Chapter 6 - Michael Came Home Without Warning
Michael Bennett had not told anyone he was back in the United States.
Ryan called him.
No answer.
Police located his rental car near the airport.
Inside was an empty document case.
No Michael.
Ryan and Michael had never been close.
Michael was seven years older and had joined Thomas at Bennett Marine
immediately after college.
Ryan chose architecture instead.
When Thomas died, Michael inherited a large share of the company.
Ryan inherited the house and a smaller financial trust.
Two years later, Michael claimed he was leaving for London to manage
European operations.
Company records showed something different.
Michael had quietly resigned from daily management eight months earlier.
Vanessa knew.
Ryan did not.
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Vanessa looked exhausted.
“Because Michael asked me not to.”
Ryan laughed bitterly.
“Does anyone in this family ever tell me anything?”
Vanessa had no answer.
Then Michael called.
Not Ryan.
Claire.
Her phone displayed an unknown number.
She answered on speaker with police present.
Michael said:
“Claire, take Noah and leave the house.”
Ryan leaned toward the phone.
“Michael, where are you?”
Silence.
Then:
“You shouldn’t be there.”
“Why?”
“Because Dad’s cameras weren’t the only system in that house.”
Claire looked toward the hidden compartment.
“What does that mean?”
Michael answered:
“The new cameras aren’t Vanessa’s.”
Vanessa went pale.
Michael continued.
“She found them. She didn’t install them.”
Claire turned toward her.
Vanessa whispered:
“I was trying to find out who did.”
Ryan stared at his aunt.
The story changed again.
Vanessa had accessed the surveillance system.
She had concealed it.
She had used it.
But she had not built it.
Michael said one final thing before disconnecting.
“If the red ledger is missing, whoever installed those cameras already
knows we found the old fraud.”
Then the house alarm activated.
May you like
Not at a door.
At the basement server room.
