Chapter 20 - A Quiet Sunset And A Mysterious New Threat Arrives
Six peaceful months passed in the blink of an eye, bringing calm seasons and steady corporate growth to Crestview Developments. It was a crisp autumn evening in Columbus, and I sat on the back deck of my suburban home watching the sunset paint the sky in fiery hues of orange and gold. The sprawling brick house was quiet, filled with peace, order, and the comforting absence of deceitful lies. I sipped a glass of red wine, enjoying the cool evening breeze rustling through the backyard oak trees.
My phone, resting quietly on the wooden patio table beside my wine glass, suddenly vibrated with a sharp, insistent buzz. I picked up the device, expecting a routine email notification from one of our regional project managers downtown. Instead, the screen displayed an incoming text message from an unknown, restricted international phone number.
I unlocked the screen with my thumb, my eyes scanning the single line of text displayed across the glowing digital interface:
“Mark was just the front man, Laura. The real offshore accounts belong to me, and I'm coming to Columbus.”
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I froze instantly, my blood running cold as the chilling words registered in my racing mind. Before I could tap the screen to trace the incoming number, the motion-activated security floodlights along the back fence clicked off simultaneously. The entire backyard plunged into absolute, pitch-black darkness, save for the faint glow of my phone screen.
Footsteps crunched softly on the gravel pathway leading around the side of the house toward the darkened deck...
