Chapter 5: The Woman Across the Street
For several seconds, nobody moved.
Karen’s face remained frozen on my laptop screen.
Her mouth was open mid-sentence.
*What do we do with him now?*
Melissa reached past me and paused the video.
Her hand trembled so badly she missed the button the first time.
"No.""
She whispered it once.
Then louder.
"No.""
I turned toward her.
She was staring at Karen’s face like she wanted to climb through the screen.
"Melissa—"
"She knew.""
Her voice cracked.
"Every time I called this neighborhood asking about Daniel, she knew.""
Mr. Henderson lowered himself into the chair beside us.
His face had gone gray.
"I spoke to Karen the morning after Daniel disappeared.""
Melissa whipped around.
"What did she tell you?""
"That Daniel had left during the night.""
"She watched them carry him out!""
"I know.""
"You believed her?""
Mr. Henderson flinched.
The anger disappeared from Melissa’s face almost immediately.
She looked away.
"I'm sorry.""
"No," he said quietly.
"You're right.""
He rubbed both hands over his face.
"I should have questioned more.""
I looked at the screen.
"You said Richard told everyone Daniel moved.""
Mr. Henderson nodded.
"The story appeared almost immediately. Daniel had supposedly gotten into financial trouble, sold what he could, and left before the HOA liens became worse.""
"But the house wasn't sold.""
"No.""
"Then who controlled it?""
Mr. Henderson looked at me.
"Richard.""
That single word settled heavily over the room.
I closed the video.
"We need copies.""
Melissa stared at me.
"Copies?""
"If someone searched my office while we were across the street, they already suspect there's evidence inside this house.""
I removed the microSD card.
"So this can't stay here.""
Mr. Henderson nodded.
"I'll take one.""
"No.""
He looked surprised.
"Why not?""
"Because Richard already knows you're helping me.""
I pointed toward the window.
"He saw you standing in my yard with those records.""
Melissa wiped her eyes.
"Then where?""
I thought about it.
"Three places.""
I copied the video to my laptop.
Then to an external drive.
Then I uploaded an encrypted copy to a cloud account Richard couldn't physically reach.
I sent another copy to a new email address I created on the spot.
It wasn't perfect.
But it meant smashing one computer wouldn't erase Daniel.
Melissa watched the progress bar.
"What about the police?""
I looked at Daniel's note again.
*DO NOT GIVE IT TO POLICE UNTIL YOU FIND THE RECORDING.*
"We found it.""
"So now we go.""
Mr. Henderson shifted uncomfortably.
"Maybe not to the local department.""
Melissa looked at him.
"Why?""
"There was an officer who used to attend HOA meetings.""
"So?""
"He wasn't a resident.""
I turned.
"Who was he?""
"Officer Grant Mercer.""
The name meant nothing to me.
"What did he do?""
"Mostly sat in the back. Richard introduced him as a community liaison.""
Melissa's expression changed.
"Mercer?""
"You know him?""
"My brother mentioned a Grant once.""
My skin tightened.
"What did Daniel say?""
"Not much. Just that he couldn't figure out whether Grant was helping Richard or watching him.""
Mr. Henderson stood.
"That distinction matters.""
Before anyone could answer, something struck my front door.
Hard.
All three of us jumped.
Another hit followed.
Then another.
Someone was pounding with a closed fist.
A woman's voice came from outside.
"Open this door!""
Karen.
Melissa stood so quickly her chair scraped backward.
I reached for my phone.
Mr. Henderson caught my arm.
"Record everything.""
I turned on the camera.
Karen pounded again.
"I know you're in there!""
I walked into the living room.
"Don't open it," Melissa said.
Karen must have heard her.
The pounding stopped.
Silence.
Then:
"Melissa?""
All three of us froze.
Karen's voice had changed.
She sounded shocked.
Then frightened.
"Melissa Carter?""
Melissa walked toward the door before I could stop her.
I stepped in front of her.
"No.""
She glared at me.
"She knows what happened to my brother.""
"And she may have helped make him disappear.""
Karen spoke again.
"I didn't hurt Daniel.""
Melissa's entire body stiffened.
I stared at the door.
None of us had accused her aloud.
Not yet.
Karen had just answered a question nobody had asked.
Melissa moved beside me.
"Then how do you know we're talking about him?""
Silence.
I looked through the narrow glass panel.
Karen stood on my porch.
No phone this time.
No smug expression.
Her hair looked disheveled.
She kept looking toward the street.
"Let me inside," she whispered.
I didn't unlock the door.
"Why?""
"Because Richard can't see me talking to you.""
That almost made me laugh.
"You seemed pretty comfortable working for him an hour ago.""
"You don't understand.""
"Then explain it from there.""
Her eyes moved toward the red porch light.
Then toward the driveway.
"He knows Harold had copies.""
Mr. Henderson stepped forward.
"Copies of what?""
Karen closed her eyes.
"Damn it.""
She pressed one palm against the door.
"Please.""
Melissa pushed past me.
She opened the door before I could stop her.
Karen stumbled inside.
I immediately closed and locked it.
Melissa faced her.
"Where is my brother?""
Karen went completely still.
Her lips parted.
Nothing came out.
Melissa stepped closer.
"Where is Daniel?""
"I don't know.""
Melissa slapped her.
The sound cracked through the room.
Karen staggered sideways.
Her hand flew to her cheek.
I grabbed Melissa's shoulders before she could swing again.
"Tell me!"" Melissa screamed.
Karen's eyes filled with tears.
"I don't know!""
"You watched them drag him out!""
Karen's face lost all color.
I released Melissa slowly.
Karen stared at us.
"You found the camera.""
Nobody answered.
She sank onto my sofa.
"Oh God.""
I stayed standing.
"Start talking.""
Karen looked toward the door.
"Richard said it had been destroyed.""
"What had?""
"The recording.""
"So you knew about the camera?""
"Not that night.""
Melissa moved closer.
"When did you find out?""
"A week later.""
Karen rubbed her cheek.
"Richard made me help search the house.""
I felt my stomach turn.
"That's why the thermostat had a broken card.""
She nodded.
"We found that one.""
"But not the porch camera.""
"No.""
I leaned against the wall.
"Why were you there that night?""
Karen looked at Melissa.
"Daniel called me.""
Melissa stopped.
"Why?""
"Because I was on the HOA board.""
"You were helping Richard.""
Karen shook her head.
"At first, I thought I was helping the neighborhood.""
She laughed bitterly.
"That's how Richard gets people.""
Melissa crossed her arms.
"Spare me the speech.""
"I'm not asking you to forgive me.""
"Good.""
Karen swallowed.
"Daniel had discovered that the fines weren't going into the HOA's primary account.""
I looked at her.
"Where were they going?""
"Three separate accounts.""
"Owned by Richard?""
"One was connected to his property management company.""
"And the others?""
Karen hesitated.
"That's what Daniel couldn't prove.""
Mr. Henderson stepped closer.
"What did he think?""
Karen looked at him.
"That Richard was paying someone.""
Melissa whispered, "Mercer.""
Karen's eyes snapped toward her.
That reaction was enough.
"You know Officer Mercer," I said.
Karen stood.
"We shouldn't say his name.""
"Why?""
"Because Richard isn't the person I'm afraid of.""
The room became quiet.
Melissa stared at her.
"You helped Richard carry my brother out of this house.""
"No.""
Karen shook her head fiercely.
"I handed Richard the folder. That was all.""
"That's enough.""
"I know.""
"Then what happened after they put Daniel in the vehicle?""
Karen looked down.
"I stayed inside.""
Melissa laughed in disbelief.
"You expect me to believe that?""
"Richard told me Daniel had attacked him.""
"The video says otherwise.""
"I know that now.""
"You watched them drag an unconscious man outside.""
"He was conscious.""
Melissa stopped.
"What?""
Karen looked at her.
"Daniel was conscious.""
"But he couldn't walk.""
"No.""
"Why?""
"I don't know.""
"Was he injured?""
"I didn't see blood.""
I remembered his dragging feet.
The way his head moved.
Not unconscious.
Drugged?
Stunned?
"What vehicle?"" I asked.
Karen closed her eyes, trying to remember.
"Dark SUV. Older model.""
"License plate?""
"I never saw it.""
"Who was the second man?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know his real name.""
"But you recognized him.""
Karen looked at me.
"Everyone called him Cole.""
"Cole what?""
"No last name.""
Mr. Henderson frowned.
"I've never heard Richard mention a Cole.""
"That was the point.""
Karen glanced toward the blinds again.
"He wasn't from the neighborhood.""
Melissa's voice dropped.
"What did they do with Daniel?""
Karen's eyes filled again.
"Richard came back almost two hours later.""
"Alone?""
"No.""
My pulse quickened.
"Who was with him?""
"Mercer.""
There it was.
The room seemed to shrink around us.
Melissa looked like she'd been struck.
"The police officer?""
Karen nodded.
"He was in uniform.""
Mr. Henderson muttered something under his breath.
I stepped closer.
"What happened?""
"Richard told me Daniel had agreed to leave.""
Melissa laughed harshly.
"And you believed him?""
"No.""
Karen's voice broke.
"Not by then.""
She covered her mouth for a second.
"Richard told me if I talked, he'd make sure everyone knew I'd helped manipulate the fines.""
"You had.""
"I know.""
"He blackmailed you.""
"Yes.""
Melissa stared at her with open disgust.
"And for almost two years you let me think my brother abandoned everyone.""
Karen looked up.
"I sent you letters.""
Melissa froze.
"What?""
"I sent three.""
"I never got them.""
Karen stood slowly.
"I mailed them to your apartment.""
"I've lived at the same address for six years.""
"I know.""
Melissa looked confused.
"What did they say?""
"That Daniel didn't leave voluntarily.""
Melissa took a step backward.
"No.""
"I couldn't write everything. I was scared.""
"You never contacted me another way?""
"I tried once.""
"When?""
"At the memorial.""
Melissa's face emptied.
"What memorial?""
Karen looked at her like she'd just realized something terrible.
"The private service Richard organized.""
Melissa stared.
"My brother didn't have a memorial.""
Karen's breathing changed.
"Yes, he did.""
"No.""
Melissa shook her head.
"No one in our family attended any memorial.""
Karen looked at Mr. Henderson.
"You weren't invited?""
He shook his head.
"I didn't know there was one.""
Karen's fear returned.
Stronger now.
"There were six people there.""
"Where?"" I asked.
She whispered, "The old Maple Ridge maintenance property.""
Mr. Henderson frowned.
"That lot was sold years ago.""
"No.""
Karen shook her head.
"Richard told everyone it was.""
I felt my hands turn cold.
"What happened at this service?""
Karen hesitated.
"There was no body.""
Melissa closed her eyes.
"But there was something else.""
She opened them again.
"What?""
Karen looked directly at her.
"A metal box.""
Nobody moved.
"Richard said Daniel wanted his personal effects buried there if anything ever happened to him.""
Melissa stared at her.
"Daniel hated funerals.""
"I know that now.""
"What was in the box?""
"I never saw.""
I asked, "Where is it?""
Karen shook her head.
"I don't know if it's still there.""
Mr. Henderson went to the window.
"The maintenance lot backs up to the woods.""
Karen nodded.
"There's an old equipment shed near the northern fence.""
Melissa was already reaching for her coat.
"We're going.""
Karen shot to her feet.
"No.""
Melissa turned.
"You don't get to tell me no.""
"If Richard sees you—"
"I don't care.""
"You should.""
Karen stepped closer.
"Because Daniel isn't the only person connected to that property.""
I watched her.
"What does that mean?""
She looked at me.
"Three years before Daniel disappeared, another homeowner challenged Richard.""
Mr. Henderson turned from the window.
"Who?""
Karen's voice lowered.
"Rebecca Sloan.""
I remembered the surname from one of the old fine notices.
"What happened to her?""
"She supposedly moved.""
Mr. Henderson's face tightened.
"Supposedly?""
Karen nodded.
"Her house was sold through the same process as Daniel's.""
I felt the pattern forming.
Fake violations.
Liens.
Pressure.
Disappearances.
Homes resold.
New residents brought in.
"How many?"" I asked.
Karen didn't answer.
"How many homeowners disappeared after fighting Richard?""
She whispered:
"Four.""
Melissa sat back down.
Mr. Henderson looked sick.
"And nobody investigated?""
"Richard always had paperwork.""
Karen's voice became hollow.
"Foreclosures. Relocations. Settlement agreements. Everything looked legitimate.""
"And Mercer?""
She nodded.
"He handled every complaint.""
A car door slammed outside.
Karen's head snapped toward the window.
Then another door.
Then another.
She rushed toward the blinds and pulled them open half an inch.
Her face drained.
"We have a problem.""
I moved beside her.
Two police cruisers had stopped in front of my house.
Behind them was Richard's black SUV.
Melissa whispered, "He called the police.""
"No," Karen said.
Her voice sounded terrified.
"He called Mercer.""
A tall officer stepped from the first cruiser.
I recognized him before Karen said his name.
Gray at the temples.
Broad shoulders.
The same shape as the second man in Daniel's video.
The baseball cap had hidden the face.
But not the body.
Not the way he walked.
Melissa saw it too.
"Oh my God.""
Officer Grant Mercer looked toward my house.
Then directly at the porch light.
My porch light.
His expression changed.
He knew.
He turned to Richard and said something.
Richard immediately pulled out his phone.
Mine rang less than five seconds later.
Unknown number.
I answered.
Nobody spoke at first.
Then Richard's voice came through.
Calm.
Almost cheerful.
"You found Daniel's recording.""
I looked through the blinds.
Richard was watching my window.
"Maybe.""
He laughed softly.
"You really are more like him than I expected.""
"Like who?""
A pause.
Then Richard said something I never expected.
"Like your father.""
My throat tightened.
"What did you say?""
Behind me, Karen made a small sound.
I turned.
She was staring at me.
Not at the police.
At me.
"What?"" I demanded.
Richard's voice continued in my ear.
"Ask Karen why she recognized your last name the day you moved in.""
I slowly lowered the phone.
Karen backed away.
"Karen.""
She shook her head.
"Don't.""
"What does he mean?""
Melissa looked between us.
Mr. Henderson whispered, "Oh no.""
I stepped toward Karen.
"How did you know my family?""
Her eyes filled with fear.
Not fear of Richard this time.
Fear of what I was about to learn.
She swallowed.
"Because Daniel Carter wasn't the first man who investigated Richard.""
My chest tightened.
May you like
Karen looked straight at me.
"The first one was your father.""
