Chapter 3 - The Secret Vault
The flashing red and blue lights faded into the quiet suburban night.
I stood frozen on the porch, my mind struggling to process the sudden nightmare.
Harper was crying silently, clutching the forged foreclosure documents against her chest.
I turned my attention to Leo, who was staring blankly at the empty driveway.
"Why did he tell me not to trust you?" I asked Leo, my voice turning icy.
Leo swallowed hard and nervously adjusted the straps of his backpack.
"He is just trying to manipulate you because he knows I have the rest of his files," Leo claimed.
He told us that his mother, Vanessa, had kept extensive records of Graham's crimes.
"We need to get inside and secure his home office before the FBI returns with a warrant," I decided.
We rushed into the house and locked the heavy oak front door behind us.
Graham's office was always strictly off-limits, locked with a biometric keypad.
I grabbed a heavy bronze bookend from the hallway table and smashed the digital lock.
The wooden door splintered open, revealing a room that smelled faintly of stale cigar smoke.
We immediately began tearing through the filing cabinets and desk drawers.
Harper found a loose floorboard hidden perfectly beneath an expensive Persian rug.
Beneath the wood was a small, high-tech steel safe embedded into the concrete foundation.
"I do not know the combination," I muttered, feeling a wave of deep frustration.
Leo walked over, crouched down, and typed a six-digit code without a moment of hesitation.
The heavy steel door clicked open instantly.
I stared at Leo, completely horrified that he knew the passcode to my husband's secret vault.
"How could you possibly know that code?" Harper asked, stepping away from him.
Leo reached into the safe and pulled out a loaded black handgun.
May you like
He pointed the weapon directly at my chest and smiled.
"Because this was never Graham's safe," Leo whispered.
