Chapter 7 - Whispers in the DarkRichard let out a harsh, cruel laugh, signaling to the two security guards behind him. "You think you’re a hero? You’re a pool cleaner! I can have your license revoked by noon and your business bankrupt by dinner. Hand over her bag and get off my property before I have you arrested for trespassing."
"You can’t arrest her for leaving a marriage, Richard!" Clara shouted, stepping out from behind me, her voice ringing clearly across the yard. "It’s over! I know about the accounts in Grand Cayman. I know about the fraud!"
Richard’s face drained of color for a split second before turning dangerously dark. "You stupid woman. You think those papers mean anything without proof of how you got them?"
He stepped forward, reaching out to grab Clara’s arm.
Before his fingers could touch her coat, I grabbed Richard by his lapels and shoved him back with full force. He stumbled over a patio chair, crashing awkwardly onto the stone tiles.
The two security guards instantly lunged forward.
"Michael, look out!" Clara screamed.
The first guard swung a heavy right hook. I ducked beneath it, slamming my shoulder into his midsection and driving him backward toward the pool’s edge. He lost his footing on the wet tiles and fell backward with a massive splash into the deep end.
The second guard hesitated, looking between his soaked partner flailing in the water and the sheer determination in my eyes.
"Clara, grab the box! Run to the truck!" I yelled.
Clara didn't hesitate. She grabbed the heavy chemical box containing the evidence, ran past the stunned guard, and bolted through the side gate into the driveway.
I backed up slowly, keeping my eyes on Richard as he scrambled up from the floor, his face red with humiliation.
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"You're dead in this town, do you hear me?!" Richard roared, his voice echoing off the concrete walls. "You're finished!"
"Keep the pool clean, Richard," I said, turning on my heel and slamming the side gate behind me.
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