Chapter 7 - THE NIGHT MERCER MADE HIS MOVE
Mercer didn't appreciate losing control.
Three days later, Isabella called me at eleven-thirty at night.
Her voice was shaking.
“Alexander.”
I sat up.
“What happened?”
“Someone broke into the office.”
I was already reaching for my coat.
“Are you there?”
“No. The police called me.”
“Are the girls safe?”
“Yes.”
“Stay home. I'll meet you at the office.”
When I arrived, police vehicles were parked outside Bennett Restoration.
The front window was shattered.
Inside, filing cabinets had been overturned.
Computers were missing.
But the expensive equipment remained untouched.
That told me everything.
This wasn't ordinary theft.
Someone wanted documents.
Isabella arrived with her attorney.
She looked devastated.
“My husband's drawings,” she whispered.
I turned.
“What?”
“His original restoration plans. The files were in the office.”
Her eyes filled.
“Some of them were the only copies.”
I felt anger rise.
Not because Mercer had challenged me.
Because he'd attacked something irreplaceable.
I looked at Daniel Price.
“Preserve every security recording.”
He nodded.
“And make sure the police have everything.”
Isabella looked at me.
“Alexander, I'm scared.”
I stepped closer.
“I know.”
She swallowed.
“What if he comes after the girls?”
I met her eyes.
“Then we make sure the authorities know exactly what he's doing, and we put a lawful safety plan in place.”
She nodded.
But her hands were trembling.
I wanted to promise her nothing bad would happen.
May you like
Instead, I said something harder.
“We're going to take this seriously. And we're going to do it properly.”
