“What else?”
“Acquisition plans.”
“How recent?”
“Very.”
Daniel looked toward Emily’s room.
Lauren had not only stolen money.
She had potentially exposed his company.
He called Detective Collins.
Within an hour, investigators were reviewing the access logs.
That evening, Emily sat beside Daniel on the sofa.
“You think someone else is involved.”
“Yes.”
“Who?”
“I don’t know.”
Daniel looked tired.
Emily studied him.
“You’re blaming yourself again.”
“I gave Lauren access to everything.”
“Five years ago.”
“I should have removed it.”
“You should have been able to trust your sister not to exploit it.”
Daniel looked at her.
“That sounds obvious when you say it.”
“Because it is.”
The doorbell rang.
Daniel checked the camera.
Nobody was there.
He waited.
Then noticed a brown envelope on the porch.
He told Emily to stay inside.
He retrieved it carefully.
No return address.
Inside was a photograph.
Daniel and Emily leaving the hospital.
Taken from across the parking lot.
On the back, written in black ink:
STOP LOOKING INTO LAUREN’S DEBT.
Daniel stared at the message.
Emily came closer.
“What is it?”
He did not want to show her.
She took it anyway.
Her face went pale.
Daniel immediately called the police.
Within twenty minutes, patrol cars arrived.
Detective Collins examined the photograph.
“Your sister send this?”
Daniel shook his head.
“I don’t think so.”
“Why?”
“Because Lauren wants us to believe she did nothing wrong.”
He looked at the photograph.
“This is someone who doesn’t care whether we know they’re threatening us.”
Collins placed the picture into an evidence bag.
“You and Emily should consider staying somewhere else tonight.”
Emily shook her head.
“No.”
Daniel turned.
“Emily.”
“I’m done being chased out of my own home.”
Collins looked between them.
“Then increase security.”
Daniel nodded.
That night, every light around the house remained on.
At 2:13 a.m., Emily woke.
She heard something downstairs.
A faint metallic sound.
She touched Daniel’s shoulder.
“Daniel.”
He opened his eyes immediately.
“What?”
“Someone’s downstairs.”
Daniel reached for his phone.
The security application showed movement in the garage.
He called 911.
Then he checked the camera.
A shadow moved beside his car.
Someone wearing a dark hood.
Daniel watched as the figure approached the door leading into the house.
Emily stood behind him.
“Are they coming inside?”
Daniel locked the bedroom.
Police arrived four minutes later.
The intruder fled through the backyard.
Officers found a crowbar.
Cut wires near the alarm panel.
And something else.
A small black bag inside the garage.
Inside were copies of Whitmore Development documents.
Bank statements.
And a photograph of Lauren.
On the back:
SHE OWES US.
Daniel stared at it.
The staircase had begun as a family betrayal.
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