Chapter 7: ## Chapter 7: The Woman Waiting at My Door
: The Woman Waiting at My Door
For several seconds, I couldn't take my eyes off the photograph.
It showed Tasha standing on my front porch, wearing the same blackFor several seconds, I couldn't take my eyes off the photograph.
It showed Tasha standing on my front porch, wearing the same black coat she had worn when she left my house the previous evening.
She was looking directly at the coat she had worn when she left my house the previous evening.
She was looking directly at the camera.
Not smiling.
Not crying.
Just waiting.
"How did Ethan get that photograph?"" I asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know. But he's been watching your property for weeks.""
Nicole camera.
Not smiling.
Not crying.
Just waiting.
"How did Ethan get that photograph?"" I asked.
Vanessa shook her head.
"I don't know. But he's been watching your property for weeks.""
Nicole immediately stood.
"Marcus, we're not going to that house without making sure it's safe.""
I picked up my phone.
"Then I'll call the security immediately stood.
"Marcus, we're not going to that house without making sure it's safe.""
I picked up my phone.
"Then I'll call the security company.""
"Already doing it," Nicole replied.
She had the presence of mind to contact the security provider while I called the police non-emergency line to company.""
"Already doing it," Nicole replied.
She had the presence of mind to contact the security provider while I called the police non-emergency line to report the suspicious activity and preserve the threatening messages.
Vanessa sat with both hands wrapped around her handbag.
"I didn't think it would get this bad," she whispered.
I looked at report the suspicious activity and preserve the threatening messages.
Vanessa sat with both hands wrapped around her handbag.
"I didn't think it would get this bad," she whispered.
I looked at her.
"Did you know Ethan was involved with Tasha before you found those files?""
She shook her head.
"No. I knew he was her.
"Did you know Ethan was involved with Tasha before you found those files?""
She shook her head.
"No. I knew he was doing something with an Atlanta investment group, but he never explained the details. He said he was helping wealthy clients acquire distressed doing something with an Atlanta investment group, but he never explained the details. He said he was helping wealthy clients acquire distressed properties.""
"Did you know my name was involved?""
"No.""
Her eyes filled.
"When I saw your address, I recognized it properties.""
"Did you know my name was involved?""
"No.""
Her eyes filled.
"When I saw your address, I recognized it. Ethan had been there before. He told me you were an important business contact.""
I exchanged a glance with Nicole.
"How many times?""
"At. Ethan had been there before. He told me you were an important business contact.""
I exchanged a glance with Nicole.
"How many times?""
"At least three. Once, he came home with photographs of your property. Another time, he was talking on the phone about your renovation company.""
Nicole wrote everything least three. Once, he came home with photographs of your property. Another time, he was talking on the phone about your renovation company.""
Nicole wrote everything down.
Then Vanessa's phone rang.
Ethan.
She stared at the screen.
"Don't answer," Nicole said.
But Vanessa looked terrified.
"He down.
Then Vanessa's phone rang.
Ethan.
She stared at the screen.
"Don't answer," Nicole said.
But Vanessa looked terrified.
"He knows I copied the files.""
Nicole nodded.
"Then we should preserve the call information too.""
The phone stopped ringing.
A text appeared.
**You knows I copied the files.""
Nicole nodded.
"Then we should preserve the call information too.""
The phone stopped ringing.
A text appeared.
*You have five minutes to come home.*
Then another.
*Don't make me explain this to the police.*
Vanessa covered her mouth.
I felt anger have five minutes to come home.**
Then another.
*Don't make me explain this to the police.*
Vanessa covered her mouth.
I felt anger rising in my chest.
"He's threatening his own wife because she discovered what he was doing?""
Nicole placed a hand on the desk.
"Marcus, we need to stay focused. Let the authorities handle the threats.""
Within twenty minutes, officers had been contacted, the relevant information had been documented, and arrangements rising in my chest.
"He's threatening his own wife because she discovered what he was doing?""
Nicole placed a hand on the desk.
"Marcus, we need to stay focused. Let the authorities handle the threats.""
Within twenty minutes, officers had been contacted, the relevant information had been documented, and arrangements were made to ensure Vanessa wasn't left alone.
I also received confirmation from my security company.
Someone had attempted to access my home's electronic entry system using an old were made to ensure Vanessa wasn't left alone.
I also received confirmation from my security company.
Someone had attempted to access my home's electronic entry system using an old guest credential.
The attempt had failed.
But the credential had belonged to Tasha.
I stared at the notification.
"She still has access.""
Nicole shook guest credential.
The attempt had failed.
But the credential had belonged to Tasha.
I stared at the notification.
"She still has access.""
Nicole shook her head.
"We'll have the provider disable it immediately and review the access logs.""
By early evening, I was finally able to return her head.
"We'll have the provider disable it immediately and review the access logs.""
By early evening, I was finally able to return to my property with Nicole and the appropriate security arrangements in place.
Tasha was still there.
She stood on the porch with her arms crossed.
The moment she saw me, she stepped forward.
"Marcus! Finally to my property with Nicole and the appropriate security arrangements in place.
Tasha was still there.
She stood on the porch with her arms crossed.
The moment she saw me, she stepped forward.
"Marcus! Finally.""
I stopped several feet away.
"What are you doing here?""
She looked offended.
"I live here.""
"Not anymore, Tasha.""
Her eyes.""
I stopped several feet away.
"What are you doing here?""
She looked offended.
"I live here.""
"Not anymore, Tasha.""
Her eyes narrowed.
"Don't start.""
Nicole stepped beside me.
"We're here to collect information and arrange access to your personal belongings. We need to keep this civil.""
Tasha looked at her.
narrowed.
"Don't start.""
Nicole stepped beside me.
"We're here to collect information and arrange access to your personal belongings. We need to keep this civil.""
Tasha looked at her.
"Nobody asked you to come.""
"Marcus did.""
Tasha turned back toward me.
"Can we please talk alone?""
"No.""
She"Nobody asked you to come.""
"Marcus did.""
Tasha turned back toward me.
"Can we please talk alone?""
"No.""
She let out a frustrated breath.
"You're really going to let this woman control everything?""
Nicole didn't respond.
I looked at Tasha.
"What do you want?""
She lowered her voice.
"I need let out a frustrated breath.
"You're really going to let this woman control everything?""
Nicole didn't respond.
I looked at Tasha.
"What do you want?""
She lowered her voice.
"I need you to listen to me. Ethan has been lying to everybody.""
I almost laughed.
"That's an interesting thing to hear you to listen to me. Ethan has been lying to everybody.""
I almost laughed.
"That's an interesting thing to hear from you.""
"I'm serious.""
"So am I.""
She looked over her shoulder toward the house.
Then she stepped closer.
"He's not just trying to buy your properties. He's planning to leave the country.""
I frowned from you.""
"I'm serious.""
"So am I.""
She looked over her shoulder toward the house.
Then she stepped closer.
"He's not just trying to buy your properties. He's planning to leave the country.""
I frowned.
"What?""
"He told me he had investors in London. He said once the money came through, he was going to disappear.""
Nicole immediately asked.
"What?""
"He told me he had investors in London. He said once the money came through, he was going to disappear.""
Nicole immediately asked, "When did he tell you this?""
"Last week.""
"And why didn't you tell us earlier?""
Tasha looked at me.
"Because I didn't think he'd, "When did he tell you this?""
"Last week.""
"And why didn't you tell us earlier?""
Tasha looked at me.
"Because I didn't think he'd actually do it.""
I studied her face.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely frightened.
"How much does he owe you?"" I asked.
She looked actually do it.""
I studied her face.
For the first time, she seemed genuinely frightened.
"How much does he owe you?"" I asked.
She looked away.
"That's not important.""
"How much?""
"Marcus...""
"Give me a number.""
She swallowed.
"Forty thousand dollars.""
Nicole's expression hardened.
"Was away.
"That's not important.""
"How much?""
"Marcus...""
"Give me a number.""
She swallowed.
"Forty thousand dollars.""
Nicole's expression hardened.
"Was that money connected to the proposed transaction?""
Tasha nodded slowly.
"He said it was an advance.""
I stared at her.
"An advance for what?""
She started that money connected to the proposed transaction?""
Tasha nodded slowly.
"He said it was an advance.""
I stared at her.
"An advance for what?""
She started crying.
"For helping him arrange the sale.""
I felt as though someone had punched me.
"You were being paid to sell my house?""
She shook her head.
"I thought we were going to sell it together!""
"There's no together when you forge crying.
"For helping him arrange the sale.""
I felt as though someone had punched me.
"You were being paid to sell my house?""
She shook her head.
"I thought we were going to sell it together!""
"There's no together when you forge my signature.""
She covered her face.
"I know.""
Those two words were the first honest things I had heard from her in days.
my signature.""
She covered her face.
"I know.""
Those two words were the first honest things I had heard from her in days.
I waited.
She eventually lowered her hands.
"Ethan told me you would never agree to sell. He said you were too attached to the property. He told me that ifI waited.
She eventually lowered her hands.
"Ethan told me you would never agree to sell. He said you were too attached to the property. He told me that if I helped create the right circumstances, you would eventually accept an offer.""
"What circumstances?""
She looked at Nicole.
"Arguments. Pressure. I helped create the right circumstances, you would eventually accept an offer.""
"What circumstances?""
She looked at Nicole.
"Arguments. Pressure. Financial disagreements.""
I stared at her.
"So the humiliation at the barbecue...""
She didn't answer.
"Tasha, was that planned?""
Her lips Financial disagreements.""
I stared at her.
"So the humiliation at the barbecue...""
She didn't answer.
"Tasha, was that planned?""
Her lips trembled.
"I was told to make you look unstable and irresponsible.""
I stepped backward.
The woman I had loved had apparently been willing to destroy my reputation so someone else could take my property.
And she had done it while trembled.
"I was told to make you look unstable and irresponsible.""
I stepped backward.
The woman I had loved had apparently been willing to destroy my reputation so someone else could take my property.
And she had done it while serving burgers I had paid for.
"Who told you to do that?""
"Ethan.""
Nicole wrote something down.
"Did he communicate those instructions in writing?""
T serving burgers I had paid for.
"Who told you to do that?""
"Ethan.""
Nicole wrote something down.
"Did he communicate those instructions in writing?""
Tasha nodded.
"Yes.""
"Do you still have the messages?""
"I deleted some.""
"Some?""
She looked down.
"But I think they're backed upasha nodded.
"Yes.""
"Do you still have the messages?""
"I deleted some.""
"Some?""
She looked down.
"But I think they're backed up.""
I took a slow breath.
"Why did you do it?""
Tasha looked at me with tears running down her cheeks.
"Because I thought I deserved more.""
I stared at her.""
I took a slow breath.
"Why did you do it?""
Tasha looked at me with tears running down her cheeks.
"Because I thought I deserved more.""
I stared at her.
"You deserved honesty. You deserved respect. You deserved a relationship where you weren't afraid to ask for what you wanted.""
She shook her head.
"I know.""
.
"You deserved honesty. You deserved respect. You deserved a relationship where you weren't afraid to ask for what you wanted.""
She shook her head.
"I know.""
"No, Tasha. You wanted what I had without asking what it cost me to build it.""
She began sobbing.
Nicole gently"No, Tasha. You wanted what I had without asking what it cost me to build it.""
She began sobbing.
Nicole gently interrupted.
"We need to keep this conversation documented. Tasha, if you have evidence relevant to the attempted transaction, please preserve it and provide it through the appropriate legal channels.""
Tasha nodded.
Then she reached into her handbag and removed a small black flash drive.
"Ethan gave me this.""
Nicole interrupted.
"We need to keep this conversation documented. Tasha, if you have evidence relevant to the attempted transaction, please preserve it and provide it through the appropriate legal channels.""
Tasha nodded.
Then she reached into her handbag and removed a small black flash drive.
"Ethan gave me this.""
Nicole looked at it.
"What's on it?""
"I don't know everything. He told me it contained the documents for the buyer.""
She handed it to Nicole.
"But there's something looked at it.
"What's on it?""
"I don't know everything. He told me it contained the documents for the buyer.""
She handed it to Nicole.
"But there's something else.""
I waited.
Tasha wiped her face.
"The buyer isn't Southern Crest Holdings.""
Nicole froze.
"What do you mean?""
Tasha looked directly at me.
" else.""
I waited.
Tasha wiped her face.
"The buyer isn't Southern Crest Holdings.""
Nicole froze.
"What do you mean?""
Tasha looked directly at me.
"Southern Crest was just the company they were using to make the offer look legitimate.""
"Who was the actual buyer?""
She hesitated.
Then she said a name.
"RichardSouthern Crest was just the company they were using to make the offer look legitimate.""
"Who was the actual buyer?""
She hesitated.
Then she said a name.
"Richard Bennett.""
My heart stopped.
Richard Bennett was my father.
A man I hadn't spoken to in almost six years.
A man who had abandoned our family when I was twenty-one and left my Bennett.""
My heart stopped.
Richard Bennett was my father.
A man I hadn't spoken to in almost six years.
A man who had abandoned our family when I was twenty-one and left my mother struggling to pay the mortgage.
I looked at Tasha.
"Why would my father be involved?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
But Nicole was already opening the folder.
"Marcus, we need mother struggling to pay the mortgage.
I looked at Tasha.
"Why would my father be involved?""
She shook her head.
"I don't know.""
But Nicole was already opening the folder.
"Marcus, we need to find out immediately.""
Because if Tasha was telling the truth, this wasn't simply an attempt to steal my property.
It was a betrayal that had started to find out immediately.""
Because if Tasha was telling the truth, this wasn't simply an attempt to steal my property.
May you like
It was a betrayal that had started long before she ever called me a freeloader.
And the person who might have planned it knew exactly how to hurt me.
