Chapter 2 - The Badge in the PouchFor six months, Vanessa had been pressuring me to sell the remaining controlling shares I owned in Calder Senior Living, the healthcare company my late husband, Arthur, and I had built from the ground up.
Daniel already held a fifteen percent minority stake. Vanessa wanted complete voting control before a pending multi-million-dollar merger doubled its market value. When I refused to surrender my life's work, small cruelties followed: missing family invitations, changed locks at the lake cabin, and whispers to board members that I was becoming confused, forgetful, and unstable.
So I had stopped arguing. Instead, I had hired someone.
The gardener stood up slowly. Water streamed from his dark work shirt. Then he removed his battered green hat, drying his brow with it.
âMrs. Calder,â he said, his voice deep, clear, and loud enough for the silent patio to hear, âI believe we have enough.â
Vanessa frowned, her glossy lips contorting. âEnough for what?â
He reached into the waterproof pouch beneath his work shirt and produced a leather identification wallet, opening it to reveal a gold badge and credentials.
âGraham Pike. Licensed private investigator. Mrs. Calder retained me six weeks ago.â
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Danielâs champagne glass lowered. Vanessaâs face emptied of all color.
And Graham slowly, deliberately looked directly at the high-definition security camera mounted above the pool area. Its red recording light was still blinking steadily.
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