Chapter 16 - THE DEBT
Linda owed $1.8 million.
To three investors she had convinced to finance a string of fake real-estate purchases through shell companies Ray created.
Jason’s company had been the last place she moved money when the scheme began collapsing.
“You guaranteed her loans?” Sarah asked.
“She said it was temporary.”
“And when the money disappeared?”
“She told me your house could cover enough to buy time.”
Sarah almost admired the arrogance.
Linda had spent years stealing other people’s property.
When her own scheme caught fire, she reached for Sarah’s home like it already belonged to her.
Harris found wire transfers from Ray’s escrow account into Linda’s companies.
He found payments to Pike.
Payments to the private caretaker who held Paul.
And one transfer two days after Rebecca’s death.
Memo: CONSULTING.
The recipient was Aaron Pike.
By evening, Pike’s car was found abandoned near Lake Lanier.
His uniform shirt lay on the driver’s seat.
Sarah and Miles were moved to a protected hotel.
At 11:43 p.m., Sarah woke to Miles standing beside the bed.
“Mommy, somebody’s knocking.”
No one was supposed to know their room.
Sarah pulled him behind her and called Harris.
“Housekeeping.”
Sarah did not move.
The hotel had been told no service.
Then something slid under the door.
Sarah picked it up after the hallway went silent.
It showed her leaving the courthouse that afternoon.
Tessa whispered, “We need to move.”
Sarah stared at the photograph.
“No.”
“What?”
“I’m done moving.”
By midnight, federal agents were involved.
They set a controlled plan around the ledger.
At 2:10 a.m., the anonymous number texted again.
TOMORROW. 4 PM. OLD BELMONT MILL. COME ALONE.
“You’re not going alone.”
“I know.”
But then another message appeared.
A live photograph of Miles sleeping in the hotel bed.
Taken from inside the room.
May you like
Sarah turned slowly toward the ceiling vent.
And realized the threat was already closer than the hallway.
