Chapter 6 - THE MAN WHO CLEANED THE ROOM
The cleaned carpet became evidence.
So did Michael’s sentence.
He had volunteered knowledge of what had been removed before anyone accused him of removing it.
State police requested the estate’s security footage.
But the company that installed the cameras stored health logs remotely.
At 10:11, someone manually disabled recording using an administrator account.
Account name:
DBROOKS.
Chief Daniel Brooks.
Rachel looked at me.
“He had security access to the house?”
Emily answered.
“He comes over all the time.”
“Why?”
“Michael says they’re friends.”
Laura Mendoza called that night.
“Do not contact Brooks.”
“We weren’t planning to.”
“Good. We have enough to seek records.”
Emily slept at my house with Leah’s agency arranging temporary protection.
“You never have to apologize for waking me.”
She nodded, but I could tell she did not believe it yet.
The next morning, forensic technicians imaged the external drive.
It contained three folders.
MEDICAL.
TRUST.
CONTRACTS.
The medical folder held draft letters portraying Emily as delusional, impulsive, and financially irresponsible. One was signed by Dr. Martin Keller, a man she had met once at a charity dinner. “He’s not my doctor.”
Harrington companies paid consulting fees to a nonprofit called Civic Shield Foundation.
Civic Shield paid Brooks Consulting.
The totals matched town procurement decisions.
Then the technician found a hidden directory.
Deleted, but recoverable.
Folder name:
ARTHUR.
I stared at the screen.
Inside were photographs of me.
My house.
My truck.
My church.
My grocery store.
The final file was a typed memo.
SUBJECT: ARTHUR COLLINS — RESPONSE PROFILE.
May you like
And at the bottom:
PROVOKE ONLY IF NECESSARY.
