Chapter 14 - The Lien
The filing came from Red Birch Capital.
It was based on the forged owner-consent document.
My title insurer’s fraud team moved fast, but for several hours the public record showed a claim attached to Caldwell Street.
It felt like watching someone spray paint their name across my front door.
Patricia filed an emergency challenge.
Red Birch’s lawyer produced the notary block.
That was the first good break we had.
The notary denied ever witnessing my signature.
Her stamp number had been copied from another document.
The signature beneath it was fake too.
By evening, Red Birch suspended the lien claim and redirected its recovery efforts toward the people who had actually taken the money.
Caleb.
Dileia.
Possibly Frank.
I thought that would calm things down.
Instead, someone smashed one of my exterior cameras at 11:36 that night.
The feed caught a hooded figure climbing the back stairs.
He struck the camera with a metal flashlight.
Then he tried the new lock.
It held.
The second camera caught enough of his face when he turned.
Frank Merrick.
I watched the clip twice.
Then I called police.
Twenty minutes later, Officer Reyes stood in my yard staring at the broken camera.
“Any reason he would come here tonight?”
Patricia answered for me.
“Evidence.”
We checked the upstairs unit.
Nothing obvious was missing.
Then I saw the closet door open.
Inside, the access panel to the attic had been pulled down.
Gretchen brought a ladder.
Officer Reyes climbed first.
He was silent for almost a minute.
Then he called down.
“Renata, did you put a lockbox up here?”
“No.”
He came down carrying a small black metal case.
Inside were copies of contracts, blank keys, and a flash drive.
May you like
Taped to the lid was a handwritten note.
Caldwell - close before 12/31.
