Chapter 10 - Box 417

Atlantic Crown confirmed that Simone had a safe-deposit box.

She had never opened one.

The account records showed Box 417 had been rented in her name fourteen months earlier using a notarized authorization.

The signature was forged.

Again.

Marcus obtained a court order permitting the bank to open it in the presence of law enforcement.

Detective Brooks met Simone at the branch.

David was not allowed inside.

The bank manager led them into a private room and placed the long metal box on a table.

Simone’s hands felt cold.

“Ready?” Detective Brooks asked.

“No.”

The detective waited.

Simone nodded anyway.

Inside were three things.

A small digital recorder.

A sealed envelope.

And a photograph of Simone asleep in her own bed.

Evelyn, who had come with her, made a sharp sound.

“What kind of sick—”

Detective Brooks lifted a hand. “Don’t touch anything.”

The photograph was bagged.

The envelope contained copies of Simone’s driver’s license, passport, and clinic credentials.

The recorder held eleven audio files.

The detective played the first.

Grant Mercer’s voice.

“You keep telling me to watch Calder, but he’s paying better than you are.”

David answered, “Then go work for him.”

“You sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Grant laughed. “Careful what you wish for.”

The second recording was more disturbing.

Grant said, “He wants pressure on the wife.”

David replied, “Nobody touches Simone.”

“Then pay him.”

“I’m trying.”

“He says the baby doesn’t change the math.”

David’s chair scraped loudly.

“If you go near her, I’ll kill you myself.”

The file ended.

Simone stared at the recorder.

Marcus said slowly, “That helps David.”

Detective Brooks nodded. “It does.”

The third file hurt more.

David and Rebecca were arguing.

Rebecca said, “You keep saying you love your wife, but you’re using her money and lying to her every day.”

David answered, “You think I don’t know what I am?”

“Then tell her.”

“And destroy her?”

“You already are.”

“I can fix it.”

“You can’t fix a double life.”

Simone closed her eyes.

The affair had been real.

So had David’s shame.

One truth did not erase the other.

The fourth file changed the investigation.

Victor Calder spoke first.

“You bring her Saturday.”

David said, “No.”

“You bring her, she authorizes the transfer, and this ends.”

“She won’t sign.”

“Then convince her.”

“I said no.”

Calder’s voice became quiet. “You don’t get to say no anymore.”

David answered, “If anything happens to her, you get nothing.”

Calder laughed.

“You still think this is about money.”

The recording stopped.

Detective Brooks replayed it.

Simone whispered, “Saturday was the lake.”

“Yes,” the detective said.

“David did bring me.”

“Yes.”

“So he obeyed Calder.”

“Partly.”

“He knew Calder wanted me there.”

“Yes.”

Simone felt nauseated.

Marcus said, “But he also objected to harming you.”

“He still took me there.”

“No one is excusing that.”

The next files revealed pieces of a desperate plan.

David had been trying to collect enough evidence on Calder to trade for federal protection. Grant was supposed to document shipments and meetings.

Then Grant switched sides.

One recording captured David confronting him.

“You sold me out.”

Grant replied, “You were already sold.”

“What did you give him?”

“Enough.”

“Did you tell him about Simone?”

Grant laughed. “Everybody knows about Simone.”

The final file was recorded two days before the accident.

The same meeting shown in the anonymous photograph.

Calder said, “Saturday. Bring your wife.”

David answered, “I’ll bring her, but you keep Grant away.”

“Why?”

“Because he threatened her.”

“He threatens everybody.”

“I’m serious.”

Calder replied, “So am I.”

Then David said something Simone would replay in her mind for months.

“If she signs, we’re done.”

Calder answered, “If she doesn’t, you are.”

The recording ended.

Simone sat motionless.

David had not plotted her murder in that conversation.

But he had knowingly brought her into a trap built by dangerous men.

Detective Brooks closed the evidence bag.

“We need to find Grant.”

Marcus looked at Simone. “And we need to revise our theory.”

She nodded slowly.

David might not have cut the dock.

That did not make him innocent.

It made the truth more complicated.

The existence of the photograph troubled Detective Brooks almost as much as the recordings.

“Whoever took this was inside your bedroom,” she said.

Simone looked at the image again and felt exposed in a way she could not explain.

“Could David have taken it?”

“Possibly.”

“He slept beside me.”

“Yes.”

“But why keep it in a box he hid under my name?”

“That is what we need to ask him.”

Later, David claimed Grant had sent the photograph anonymously as proof that Calder’s people could reach Simone anywhere. David said he had hidden it because he feared showing her would expose the criminal debt.

Simone did not know whether to believe him.

May you like

[COMPLETED] “GET YOUR HANDS OFF MY DRESS! YOU’RE NOTHING BUT AN OLD SEAM...

[COMPLETED] At the Mafia Boss's Engagement Party, I Served His Hungry So...

[COMPLETED] The Mafia Boss’s Fiancée Tried to Dismiss His Father’s Loyal...

Marcus’s response was simple.

“We verify first. Belief comes later.”