“Did he ever contact your family again?”
“Once. A few weeks after we moved, he called my father and asked whether we knew anyone else who might be interested in selling a property in Willow Creek.”
Robert stopped writing.
“Did your father keep the number?”
“I think so. I'll ask him.”
“Please do. And don't contact Whitmore yourself for now.”
Olivia agreed.
When Robert ended the call, he looked at Dr. Carter.
“Whitmore wasn't just buying the Harrison house. He was looking for more sellers.”
“Then we need to find out whether the HOA's records were used to identify them.”
That afternoon, Marcus received a call from Robert.
“Can you come to the office?”
“Is something wrong?”
“Something important has surfaced. I want you to see it in person.”
Marcus arrived forty minutes later.
Robert explained the spreadsheet and showed him the note beside his address.
Marcus stared at it for a long time.
“Difficult to pressure,” he said quietly.
“That's what someone wrote.”
“Whoever wrote this knew enough about me to understand that I wouldn't simply leave because someone complained.”
Robert nodded.
“Did anyone ever approach you about selling your property?”
Marcus thought for a moment.
“Not directly. But about three months before the barbecue, a man came to my office. He said he represented an investment company interested in acquiring several properties in Willow Creek.”
“Did he give you a name?”
“Daniel Whitmore.”
Robert leaned forward.
“What did he want?”
“He asked whether I had considered selling. I told him I had no intention of leaving. He said the company could make a very attractive offer.”
“Did he mention the HOA?”
Marcus nodded.
“He said the neighborhood was preparing for improvements and that property values could rise significantly. He also asked whether I had any concerns about the association.”
“What did you tell him?”
“I said I had no reason to discuss private neighborhood matters with a stranger.”
Robert made a note.
“Did he seem surprised?”
“Not exactly. He smiled and said that people who owned successful businesses usually understood the value of recognizing an opportunity.”
Marcus shook his head.
“I thought it was just another investor trying to buy property. I didn't connect it to Patricia's complaints.”
“Did he mention your visitors or your construction vehicles?”
“No. But he asked whether I often hosted large gatherings.”
Robert looked up.
“What?”
“He asked if I entertained clients at home. I told him I occasionally invited friends and business associates over. He said that could become a concern if the neighborhood became more strictly regulated.”
Robert exchanged a glance with Dr. Carter.
That comment was not proof of coordination, but it made the earlier complaints look less random.
Marcus leaned back.
“So they knew about my house before Patricia called the police.”
“We don't know exactly what they knew,” Robert replied. “But the timeline suggests someone had been paying attention to your property.”
Marcus looked down at the spreadsheet.
“I built my company from nothing. I worked for years to buy that house. I chose Willow Creek because I wanted a peaceful place to live, not because I wanted to impress anyone.”
“I know,” Robert said.
“And now someone has a list describing which residents are easy to pressure.”
Dr. Carter spoke gently.
“Marcus, I understand how personal this feels. But remember that the document may have been created for a business purpose that was never properly explained to the HOA. We need to establish the facts before drawing conclusions.”
Marcus nodded.
“I understand. I just want the truth.”
That evening, the investigation reached another important turning point.
Thomas Greene arrived at Dr. Carter’s office without an appointment.
He looked exhausted. His usual confidence had disappeared, and he carried a large envelope under one arm.
“I need to give you something,” he said.
Dr. Carter invited him inside.
Thomas placed the envelope on the desk.
“These are emails from my personal account. Some were sent to me by Patrick. Others came from Harold.”
“Why are you providing them now?” she asked.
“Because I saw the spreadsheet.”
Dr. Carter did not react.
“Where did you see it?”
“Harold showed it to me months ago. He said Patrick was helping investors identify properties that might benefit from renovation.”
“Did you know the list included residents who were considered easy to pressure?”
Thomas looked down.
“I saw the notes.”
“Did you question them?”
“I asked Harold what they meant. He told me they were simply estimates of which homeowners might be interested in selling.”
“And you accepted that explanation?”
Thomas nodded slowly.