I saw forged insurance documents: three policies totaling five million dollars, all taken out in the last six months. And then, the most damning evidence of all.
It was a recording of Vanessa and Kyle in my own kitchen, talking while they thought I was out playing golf. Kyle’s voice came through clearly. «Mom, are you sure this is taking too long? It’s been almost a month of the pills.»
«These things take time,» Vanessa replied. «We can’t make it obvious. The digitalis builds up slowly. It’ll look like heart failure.»
«A man his age, no one will question it,» she added. «But if Torres gets impatient and does something stupid…»
«He won’t,» Kyle interrupted. «You’re paying him enough. After Thomas is gone, we split the insurance and the estate. The house alone is worth three million. Then we disappear.»
«New names. New lives,» Vanessa agreed. «Kyle, you’re 22. You’ll never have to work a day in your life.»
I’d heard enough. I called David Chen. «You watched it,» he said when he answered.
«All of it,» I replied. «Is Jake Rodriguez still available?»
«Marcus kept him on retainer until the end,» David confirmed. «I have his number.»
Jake arrived at my house two hours later. He was in his mid-thirties, sharp-eyed, and moved like someone who’d seen combat. We sat in my study, and I told him what I wanted.
«We need more evidence,» I said. «Enough that they can’t talk their way out of it. And I want to catch Torres too. I want all of them.»
Jake nodded slowly. «The pills she’s giving you… let me take those to a lab. If it’s digitalis, like they said, that’s attempted murder.»
«The forged insurance documents are fraud,» he continued. «The offshore accounts are theft. But catching Torres in the act…» He thought for a moment. «We’d need to set a trap. Get him to incriminate himself.»
Over the next week, I became an actor in my own life. I smiled at Vanessa over breakfast. I took the fake vitamins, grimacing like they tasted bad.
I complained about feeling tired and let her fuss over me, suggesting I see a doctor. All while Jake’s team worked. The pills came back positive for digitalis—enough to cause heart problems, maybe death, over time.
The bank records were analyzed; Vanessa had stolen $230,000. The insurance policies were confirmed forgeries, my signature expertly faked. But we needed Torres.
Jake proposed a plan. We’d set up surveillance in my house. Then I’d leave for what Vanessa thought was a weekend trip to visit my daughter from my first marriage, who lived in Seattle.
Instead, I’d stay at a hotel nearby. If Marcus’s information was correct, Torres would make his move while I was supposedly gone.
«It’s risky,» Jake warned. «If something goes wrong…»
«Marcus risked his last weeks alive to protect me,» I interrupted. «I’m not walking away now.»
I told Vanessa I was flying to Seattle Friday morning. She seemed excited and encouraged me to stay the whole weekend to spend time with my daughter.
Kyle happened to drop by that Thursday night, which was unusual for him. They were both very solicitous, very concerned about my health.
Friday morning, I drove to the airport, parked, and then took an Uber to a hotel 10 miles from my house. Jake had installed cameras in every room and hidden microphones.
We sat in a surveillance van, watching. Vanessa moved fast. By noon, Torres was in my house. Jake’s camera caught everything.
Vanessa was handing him cash, showing him where my bedroom was, and discussing how to make it look like a burglary. Torres was a large man, tattooed and cold-eyed.
He walked through my home like he was planning a military operation. «We do it tomorrow night,» Vanessa said. «He’ll be tired from the trip back.»
«Kyle will establish an alibi,» she explained. «He’ll be at a party with 50 witnesses. I’ll be at dinner with my book club. Raymond, you come in through the back door around 10.»
«Make it look like you were searching for valuables,» she instructed. «He surprised you. You panicked. Just make sure he doesn’t suffer. I don’t hate him. He’s just… in the way.»
Torres laughed. «Lady, for 200 grand, I’d make it look like an accident if you want.»
«No. It needs to be a burglary,» she insisted. «Clean. Simple.»
I watched this woman I’d shared a bed with for three years discuss my murder like she was planning a dinner party. Jake’s hand was on my shoulder, steady.
«We have enough,» he said quietly. «More than enough.»
That afternoon, Jake contacted Detective Sarah Morrison, a homicide detective he’d worked with before. By evening, we had a plan.
Saturday evening, I returned from Seattle. Vanessa greeted me with a kiss and asked about my daughter. I told her about the wonderful weekend I’d had and showed her photos my daughter had actually sent from Seattle.
She didn’t know she was providing my alibi for a trap. At 9:30, I told Vanessa I was exhausted and going to bed early. She encouraged it and brought me tea.
I poured it into the plant in my bedroom, then lay down in the dark. At 9:55, I heard the back door open. Footsteps followed.