“For what?”
Caleb thought.
Three days earlier.
Anonymous contact.
Mara Ellison.
Former Briar Hollow treasurer.
She told Caleb she possessed original financial records tying HOA funds to multiple shell companies.
She wanted to meet.
Then canceled at the last minute.
Her message:
I THINK SOMEBODY KNOWS I CONTACTED YOU.
Only Caleb, Tessa, prosecutor Elliott Vance, and people with access to the case system knew about the anticipated handoff.
The active file contained a note:
SOURCE EXPECTED TO PROVIDE PHYSICAL FINANCIAL LEDGER / ORIGINAL SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS.
Caleb looked through the lens.
Mallory opened the lockbox again.
“She thinks the ledger is in my safe.”
Tessa turned.
“Mara’s?”
“Yes.”
“That means whoever leaked this saw the source note.”
Caleb nodded.
“And probably assumed I took the documents home.”
Tessa said:
“This wasn’t theft.”
“It was evidence recovery.”
“Disguised as HOA enforcement.”
Caleb called Elliott Vance.
The prosecutor answered immediately.
“Tell me you’re not calling about something worse.”
“Define worse.”
“I regret asking.”
Caleb explained.
When he reached Mallory at the warehouse, Vance interrupted.
“You have eyes on her?”
“Yes.”
“Do not enter.”
“I know.”
“I mean it.”
“I know.”
“What do you need?”
“Restrict access to the HOA investigation.”
“Quietly.”
“And pull the last seventy-two hours of access logs.”
“Caleb.”
“Yes?”
“If this is internal—”
“I know.”
Vance’s tone changed.
“I’ll call you.”
Twenty-six minutes later, Mallory stormed out of the warehouse.
Even at distance, her anger was visible.
She threw something into the passenger side of the Range Rover.
Travis followed.
Mallory pointed at him.
Shouted something.
They could not hear.
Vale remained near the dock.
Mallory drove away.
Travis made a phone call.
Then Derek Sloan left the warehouse in a Whitcomb Security SUV.
Tessa watched him turn south.
“Where’s he going?”
Caleb checked traffic cameras available through normal investigative access after obtaining Vance’s authorization.
The SUV headed toward Briar Hollow.
Caleb felt the answer before the map confirmed it.
“Mara.”
Tessa started the engine.
They moved.
Caleb called Mara.
No answer.
Again.
Voicemail.
Again.
Nothing.
Derek’s vehicle reached Mara Ellison’s street four minutes before they did.
Tessa killed the headlights before the final turn.
Mara’s front door stood open.
The security SUV was parked crookedly.
Caleb drew his weapon.
Tessa did the same.
They entered.
“Mara?”
Voices from the study.
A man.
A woman.
Arguing.
Caleb approached.
“Police. Hands where I can see them.”
Derek Sloan stood near a desk.
Mara backed against the far wall.
No weapon visible.
Derek raised both hands immediately.
“I’m done.”
“Turn around.”
He complied.
Tessa cuffed him.
Mara looked furious more than frightened.
“He said he was here under an association recovery order.”
Derek shook his head.
“No.”
“What?”
Caleb asked.
Derek swallowed.
“Travis told me to get a blue folder.”
“From her house?”
“Yes.”
“Court order?”
“No.”
“HOA authorization?”
“He said we’d get paperwork afterward.”