Chapter 4 - The Sealed USB
Using a small pair of pliers from the kitchen toolbox, Julian carefully broke the small lock on the firebox.
Inside lay three items: Owen’s silver dog tags, a small leather-bound journal, and an encrypted black flash drive wrapped in a piece of paper bearing a handwritten message from Owen:
If anything happens to me, give this to Detective Robert Miller at the 4th Precinct. Do not trust my mother.
Tessa held the note against her chest, tears spilling over her lashes. "He knew," she whispered. "He knew he was in danger."
Julian immediately plugged the flash drive into his laptop. A password prompt appeared on the screen.
"Do you know the password?" Julian asked.
Tessa looked at the screen, her mind racing through dates, anniversaries, and memories. She tried their wedding date—Failed. She tried Wren’s birthday—Failed.
She looked at Wren, who was sitting on the floor hugging her favorite stuffed rabbit. She remembered the last words Owen had said to her before leaving on his final trip: "She is my whole world, Tessa."
Tessa typed in: WREN2023.
The screen flashed green. Access granted.
A folder opened, containing dozens of scanned financial documents, secretly recorded audio files, and legal affidavits prepared by an independent investigator.
The records proved that Marjorie and her brother Arthur had been embezzling millions from a charitable trust meant for children's healthcare, funneling the funds into offshore accounts. Owen had discovered the scheme six months before his death and had been secretly gathering evidence to expose his mother to federal authorities.
Marjorie hadn't given Owen eighty-two thousand dollars.
Owen had uncovered eighty-two thousand dollars' worth of fraudulent transactions carried out in his name without his consent.
"She didn't just abuse Wren," Tessa said, her voice dropping to a terrifying, lethal stillness. "She framed her own son. And she might have had a hand in his accident."
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Before Julian could answer, the apartment lights flickered and went black.
From the hallway outside, the sound of heavy footsteps approached the front door.
