Chapter 3 - The Threat in the Shadows
I ducked just in time to feel the wind of the heavy iron poker brush past my hair.
The metal weapon smashed violently into the drywall behind me.
I scrambled backward and fell onto the hardwood floor.
Irene stepped out of the darkness with a terrifyingly calm expression on her face.
Her eyes were completely devoid of any human emotion.
She looked down at me as if I were a minor inconvenience on her daily schedule.
She calmly told me that I was never supposed to find out about the commercial loans.
I asked her how she could possibly justify stealing my entire life.
Irene laughed a cold and mechanical laugh.
She said that since my daughter died, I had no real use for my money or my business anyway.
The sheer cruelty of her words sent a shockwave of pure rage through my veins.
I asked her if my mother knew about the extent of the theft.
Irene proudly admitted that my mother had willingly stamped the documents to ensure Tyler had a wealthy future.
My own mother had sacrificed my livelihood to fund Irene’s extravagant lifestyle.
I secretly pressed the record button on my smartphone hidden inside my coat pocket.
I needed her to say a little bit more to secure the evidence for Agent Harris.
I asked Irene what she planned to do now that the FBI was involved.
She smiled and raised the heavy iron poker once again.
She said the FBI could not prosecute a suspect if the prime witness died in a tragic home invasion.
I quickly kicked her squarely in the knee with all my strength.
Irene screamed in pain and dropped the weapon to clutch her leg.
I jumped to my feet and sprinted out the front door as fast as I could.
I locked myself in my car and sped away down the suburban street.
My hands shook violently against the steering wheel as I pulled out my phone.
I had the audio confession safely secured in my digital files.
I drove straight to the best defense attorney in the city.
His name was Ethan and he possessed a reputation for destroying corrupt families in court.
I sat in his plush office and played the recording of Irene’s confession.
Ethan listened intently with his eyes closed.
When the audio finished, he opened his eyes and looked incredibly pale.
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He told me that he recognized Irene’s voice from a very famous cold case.
The woman married to my brother was actually a wanted fugitive.
