Chapter 19
CHAPTER 19: The Digital Revelation
Ten minutes later, the house was swarming with police. Paramedics were wrapping Mia’s sprained ankle on the living room sofa while Danielle held her oldest daughter, her face a mask of pale, concentrated fury. Marcus stood by the broken window, speaking in low, clipped tones with the lead detective.
"He didn't take anything," Marcus noted, his jaw tight. "This wasn't a robbery."
Danielle gently kissed Mia’s forehead, then stood up. "The security cameras," she said, her voice eerily calm.
She walked to the kitchen island and picked up her digital tablet. Marcus stepped up behind her, placing a grounding hand on her shoulder. Danielle's fingers flew across the glass screen, syncing to the newly installed smart-home system.
She pulled up the footage from the dining room camera, her breathing shallow and controlled.
The glowing screen illuminated her face as she scrubbed the timeline backward. There. The glass shattering. The man stepping through the window.
Danielle paused the footage and zoomed in. The resolution sharpened, bringing the intruder's face into stark, undeniable clarity. As the man had reached out to steady himself on the window frame, the sleeve of his jacket had ridden up, revealing a distinct, jagged serpent tattoo wrapping around his wrist.
Marcus let out a sharp, heavy breath. "I know him."
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Danielle turned to Marcus, her eyes demanding answers.
"His name is Silas," Marcus said, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper. "He's a loan shark and an extortionist. He was heavily connected to David's underground gambling debts years ago. He must have found out David's estate was finally settled and thinks there's money tied to Amara."
