David picked up his cellphone and dialed his corporate attorney and close friend, Michael Vance.
Michael: David? What's going on? You missed our afternoon briefing.
David: Michael, I need you at my house right now. Bring a divorce attorney and call the police department.
Michael: What? David, slow down. What happened?
David: Victoria locked Mark in an iron dog cage in the backyard today. I caught the whole thing on my camera footage.
Michael: She WHAT? Is Mark okay?
David: He's physical okay, but he's terrified. But Michael... it gets worse. Much worse.
Michael: What do you mean?
David: I just found a hidden flash drive inside Sarah's old teddy bear. Sarah had a four-million-dollar inheritance trust that I never knew about.
Michael: Wait... Sarah had millions? Why didn't she tell you?
David: Because someone was blackmailing her before she died of her illness. And that someone was Victoria.
There was a heavy pause on the other end of the line.
Michael: David, stay in the house. Lock all the doors. I'm driving over right now with the police.
David hung up the phone and walked to the window. Outside, Victoria was frantically typing on her phone near the driveway, pacing back and forth on the concrete.
David clicked on one of the audio files stored on the flash drive. The sound of static filled his computer speakers, followed by a voice he hadn't heard in two long years—his late wife's voice.
Sarah (Audio): If you are listening to this, David, it means I didn't survive my treatment... and it means Victoria has made her move on you.
David covered his mouth with his hand, tears welling up in his eyes.
Sarah (Audio): Victoria found out about my family's trust fund through her consulting firm. When I got sick, she threatened to leak fake financial documents to ruin your career and take away Mark's custody unless I transferred control of the estate fund to a shell corporation she created.
David: Oh Sarah... why didn't you tell me?
Sarah (Audio): I was terrified, David. You were working eighty hours a week to pay my medical bills, and I was too weak to fight her. But I hid the master security keys and the offshore bank routing numbers inside Mark's bear. She thinks the money is locked away in probate, but you have the power to unlock it all. Protect our son, David. Don't let her take him.
The audio file cut off. Downstairs, the front door rattled loudly as Victoria attempted to unlock it with her key, but David had thrown the security deadbolt from the inside.
Victoria (Shouting from outside): David! Open this door right now! We need to talk about this civilly!
David: You're going to prison, Victoria!
Victoria (Shouting): You have no proof of anything! A stupid video of a timeout cage won't hold up in court! My lawyer will destroy you!
David: I don't just have the video, Victoria! I have Sarah's flash drive!
The banging on the front door abruptly stopped.
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