There was a pause.
Then:
"There's something in his hand."
"What kind of weapon?"
"I don't know."
The recording ended.
Silence.
Whitmore looked across the street.
"Mrs. Harper?"
Evelyn slowly approached.
"Yes?"
"Did you make the call?"
Evelyn nodded.
"Yes."
"Did you see Mr. Reed break into the house?"
"No."
"Did you see him damage the door?"
"No."
"Did you see him threaten anyone?"
"No."
"Did you see a weapon?"
Evelyn swallowed.
"No."
Whitmore waited.
"Then why did you call?"
Evelyn looked at Marcus.
"I thought he was suspicious."
Marcus stared at her.
Whitmore asked:
"Why?"
Evelyn didn't answer.
Harold stepped forward.
"Evelyn."
She looked at him.
"Tell the truth."
Evelyn lowered her eyes.
"I don't know."
Whitmore sighed.
"That's not enough."
Evelyn looked at Marcus.
"I was afraid."
"Of what?"
"I don't know."
Marcus finally spoke.
"You do."
Evelyn's eyes filled with tears.
"I saw you."
Marcus frowned.
"What?"
"I saw you, and I made assumptions."
The street went silent.
Marcus looked away.
Whitmore nodded slowly.
"Thank you for admitting that."
Evelyn nodded.
"But I think there's more."
Marcus turned.
"What do you mean?"
Evelyn hesitated.
Then said:
"There is."
She went home.
Ten minutes later, she returned with a folder.
She handed it to Marcus.
He looked at it.
"What's this?"
"Emails."
"From whom?"
"Victor Lang."
Marcus opened the folder.
His expression changed.
The first document contained a map.
Cedar Lane.
Several properties highlighted.
His property was circled in red.
The second document contained property values.
The third contained photographs.
Marcus stared.
There were photographs of him.
Walking into the grocery store.
Working in his yard.
Riding his motorcycle.
Carrying boxes.
Leaving the house.
His stomach tightened.
"Where did you get these?"
Evelyn looked ashamed.
"Victor sent them."
"Why?"
"He said he was helping the neighborhood."
Marcus looked at her.
"How?"
"He said there were plans for development."
"Development of what?"
"I don't know."
Cross took the folder.
He scanned the documents.
His expression became serious.
"Who is Victor Lang?"
Chief Whitmore answered.
"Property consultant."
Cross looked at Marcus.
"Do you know him?"
"No."
Whitmore took out her phone.
"I know the company."
She searched.
"Lang Strategic Advisory."
Cross nodded.
"That name is familiar."
Marcus looked at him.
"From where?"
"Defense contracting."
Marcus frowned.
"Defense?"
Cross didn't answer immediately.
He looked at the map.
Then at the property list.
"How many houses?"
Whitmore counted.
"Six."
Marcus pointed.
"Five have sold."
Evelyn nodded.
"Mine hasn't."
Marcus looked at the map again.
"Neither has mine."
Cross stared at him.
"That's the problem."
Marcus didn't understand.
"What?"
Cross lowered his voice.
"Your properties sit along an old government corridor."
"What kind?"
"Communications."
Marcus looked at the map.
"Underground?"
Cross nodded.
"Cold War infrastructure."
"Is it active?"
"Officially? No."
Marcus stared.
"And unofficially?"
Cross looked toward the police officers.
"That's what I don't know yet."
Marcus folded his arms.
"Someone wants these properties."
"Yes."
"And they're trying to make me sell."
"Probably."
Marcus laughed.
"Two million dollars wasn't enough."
Whitmore looked at him.
"How much did they offer?"
"Two million."
The chief stared.
"For a house worth less than half that?"
"Yes."
Cross frowned.
"Who made the offer?"
Marcus answered.
"Unknown company."
Cross's expression changed.
"Did you keep the documents?"
"Yes."
"Where?"
"Home."
"Get them."
Marcus walked inside.
He returned with a folder.
Cross opened it.
The offer was professionally prepared.
Two million dollars.
Immediate closing.
No inspection.
No financing contingency.
Marcus had thought it was strange.
Now it looked suspicious.
Cross studied the document.
"This isn't a normal offer."
"What is it?"
"An acquisition."
"What's the difference?"
"An acquisition is when the property itself is worth more to the buyer than the house."
Marcus nodded.
"Because of the land."
"Exactly."
Whitmore looked at Evelyn.
"Why did Victor contact you?"
Evelyn swallowed.
"He said if enough owners sold, the neighborhood would change."
"How?"
"He never said."
"Did he offer money?"
"Yes."
"How much?"
"Fifty thousand."
Marcus looked at her.
"You refused?"
"Yes."
"Why?"
Evelyn looked ashamed.
"Because I didn't trust him."
Marcus gave a bitter smile.
"You trusted him enough to call the police on me."
Evelyn flinched.
Marcus immediately regretted the sharpness of his voice.
But he didn't apologize.
The truth hurt.
Sometimes it was supposed to.
Chief Whitmore collected the documents.
"We're going to investigate this."
Cross looked at her.
"I'll involve federal investigators."
Marcus nodded.
"Good."
Cross turned to him.
"Are you all right?"
Marcus looked at the red marks around his wrists.
"I've been better."
Cross nodded.
Then his eyes moved toward Evelyn.
"Why did you believe him?"
Evelyn looked down.
"Because he knew what to say."
"Explain."
"He talked about crime."
She hesitated.
"He showed me videos. Statistics. Stories."
Cross's expression hardened.
"Fear."
Evelyn nodded.
"Yes."
Marcus understood.
Victor hadn't needed to tell her to hate him.
He only needed to convince her to fear him.
That was enough.
That evening, Marcus sat alone in his kitchen.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
"Hello?"
Silence.
"Who's this?"
A man's voice finally spoke.
"You should reconsider selling."
Marcus leaned back.
"Who are you?"
"Someone trying to save you from making a mistake."