Chapter 4 - The Man Across the StreetI went outside.
My mother shouted after me.
“Michael!”
I didn't stop.
The street looked empty.
The porch lights of neighboring houses glowed softly in the distance.
A car was parked beneath a tree.
Black sedan.
Engine running.
I ran toward it.
The driver pulled away.
I chased it to the end of the street.
Then it vanished around the corner.
I stood there breathing hard.
Someone was watching our house.
Someone knew about the scrapbook.
And someone knew I was investigating.
When I returned, Caroline was gone from the kitchen.
“Where's my wife?”
Mom looked toward the hallway.
“She went upstairs.”
I found her in our bedroom.
She was packing a suitcase.
“What are you doing?”
“Leaving.”
I closed the door.
“Why?”
“Because they're coming.”
“Who?”
“Grant.”
“You said he wasn't involved.”
“I never said that.”
“You said you didn't know.”
“I lied.”
The words hit harder than I expected.
“How long?”
Caroline sat on the edge of the bed.
“I met Grant before Anna died.”
I stared at her.
“Why?”
“He approached me.”
“About what?”
“Money.”
She looked at me.
“He said Anna was about to ruin everything.”
“Everything?”
“My brother had borrowed money.”
I frowned.
“Your brother?”
“Ethan.”
I had never heard his name before.
Caroline continued.
“He was drowning in debt. Grant had been moving money through accounts to cover it.”
“And you helped?”
“No.”
She shook her head.
“I confronted him.”
“When?”
“Two days before Anna died.”
I felt my stomach tighten.
“Was Anna there?”
Caroline closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
“So Anna knew.”
“She found out.”
“What did she know?”
“That Grant had been using shell accounts to move money from several family accounts.”
“Lucy’s?”
“Yes.”
“And you knew.”
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because Anna told me not to.”
That made no sense.
“Why would she protect you?”
“She wasn't.”
Caroline looked at me.
“She was trying to use me.”
“For what?”
“To get Grant.”
Before I could answer, she continued.
“Anna had discovered something worse.”
“What?”
“She believed the money wasn't being stolen randomly.”
My heart pounded.
“What do you mean?”
“Someone was preparing to take control of Lucy's trust.”
“Who?”
Caroline looked toward the door.
“I don't know.”
“Then why are you afraid of Grant?”
“Because I know what happened the night Anna died.”
The room went silent.
I couldn't breathe.
“What happened?”
Caroline looked at her hands.
“Anna met Grant in the garage.”
My stomach dropped.
“Lucy said she saw a man.”
“I know.”
“And you were there?”
“Yes.”
“Then tell me.”
Caroline started crying.
“I heard shouting.”
“What did you do?”
“I went inside.”
“Why?”
“Because Anna told me to.”
“You left her there?”
“She said she could handle him.”
“And then?”
“I heard a crash.”
“What kind of crash?”
“A car.”
I stared at her.
“You heard the accident.”
She nodded.
“When I came back outside, Anna was on the ground.”
I couldn't speak.
“You were there when she died?”
Caroline covered her mouth.
“Yes.”
“Why was that never in the police report?”
“I panicked.”
“What did you do?”
“I called an ambulance.”
“What else?”
She looked up.
“I moved something.”
“What?”
“Anna's bag.”
My entire body went cold.
“Why?”
“Because Grant told me to.”
I took one step backward.
“Where is it?”
Caroline didn't answer.
“Where is Anna's bag?”
“Gone.”
“Who has it?”
She whispered.
“I think Grant does.”
My phone vibrated.
A new message.
This time there was no text.
Only an image.
It was a photograph of a woman lying beside a damaged car eleven years ago.
Anna.
But that wasn't the terrifying part.
In the background stood Caroline.
And behind Caroline stood another man.
I zoomed in.
His face was familiar.
My father-in-law.
Caroline's father.
But he had died five years before Anna.
I looked at Caroline.
“How is your father in this photograph?”
May you like
She went completely still.
Then someone knocked three times on our front door.
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