Chapter 2 - The Trap is Set
By mid-afternoon, I had relocated from the estate's hidden room to a secure, private apartment downtown. I couldn't risk Patricia seeing my car or catching wind of my presence. Marcus stayed behind, disguised as a regular security guard on duty, keeping the cameras rolling 24/7.
I sat at a mahogany desk, staring at a folder my private investigator, Harrison, had just delivered.
"You're not going to like this, David," Harrison said, leaning against the window frame. "Patricia Vance isn't her real name. Or rather, it’s one of three names she has used over the last decade."
I opened the folder. Inside were photos of Patricia—or women who looked exactly like her—standing alongside different wealthy men in various cities across the country.
"Her birth name is Patricia Jenkins," Harrison explained. "Ten years ago, she married a real estate mogul in Chicago. Two years later, he divorced her after finding out she was embezzling from his firm. She walked away with a $2 million settlement because of a loophole in their prenuptial agreement. Five years ago, she did it again in Miami. Same pattern: find a wealthy man, isolate him from his family, create chaos, and then sue for a massive payout. You were her next big whale, David."
I rubbed my temples, a bitter laugh escaping my lips. "And she convinced me that Rosa—the woman who held my hand when my wife died, the woman who raised my daughters—was the one trying to steal from me."
"It's a classic gaslighting technique," Harrison said. "By making you suspect Rosa, she kept your attention away from her own financial transactions. Speaking of which, we tracked the 'missing' diamond bracelet she accused Rosa of stealing last month."
He slid a pawn shop receipt across the desk. It was signed by Patricia, dated the exact day she claimed Rosa had taken it.
My blood boiled. I had almost fired Rosa over that. I had looked into that loyal woman's tear-filled eyes and demanded to know where the bracelet was. Rosa had wept, swearing her innocence, while Patricia stood behind me, rubbing my shoulders and whispering, “It’s okay, darling. Some people just can't resist temptation.”
My phone suddenly buzzed on the desk. The caller ID showed Patricia’s name. I took a deep breath, smoothing out the anger in my voice, and answered.
"Hello, my love," I said, forcing a warm tone.
"David! Oh, thank goodness you answered," Patricia gasped, her voice trembling with theatrical distress. "I didn't want to worry you while you were traveling, but... it’s Rosa. It’s getting worse."
"What happened?" I asked, gripping the edge of the desk so hard my knuckles popped.
"She's been absolutely terrible to the girls today," Patricia lied smoothly. "I caught her shouting at Martina because she dropped a glass. When I tried to step in and defend your daughter, Rosa turned on me! She threatened me, David. She said she’s been running this house long before I got here and that she could make my life a living hell. I’m so frightened. The girls are locked in their room, crying."
I closed my eyes, disgusted by the sheer ease of her deception. "That sounds terrible, Patricia. I’m so sorry you have to deal with this."
"Can't we just fire her now?" she pleaded. "I can pack her bags and have security throw her out tonight. For the safety of the girls, David."
"No," I replied quickly, keeping my voice steady. "Don't do anything rash. If we fire her without proper cause while I'm away, she might sue us. Just keep your distance from her. I'll handle everything the moment I land back in town. I want to deal with her face-to-face."
"Oh... alright, if you think that's best," she said, sounding disappointed. "But please hurry home, darling. I miss you so much."
"I’ll be back sooner than you think," I said.
I hung up the phone and looked up at Harrison. "She’s moving fast. She wants Rosa gone so she can have total control over the house and my daughters."
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"What's the plan?" Harrison asked.
I stood up, adjusting my cuffs. "We let her play her hand. Tomorrow night, I have a 'flight delay' that keeps me away another day. That’s when she’ll get careless. That’s when we bring down the hammer."
