Chapter 6 - A Shadow at the Perimeter
Clara froze, half-submerged in the service opening, her chest heaving as she flattened herself against the earth. Through the slatted cedar planks of the six-foot privacy wall, she saw the silhouette of a tall figure dressed in dark clothing. The person wasn't moving toward the driveway gate; they were walking slowly along the perimeter line, inspecting the ground with steady, deliberate movements.
The intruder stopped directly opposite the garden shed. Clara held her breath, the pain in her abdomen tightening like a vice, threatening to rip a scream from her lungs. She bit down hard on the sleeve of her knit cardigan until the metallic taste of blood touched her tongue. The figure paused, reaching into an unbuttoned jacket to withdraw a heavy black radio.
“Property is secured,” a rough male voice spoke into the receiver, low and flat. “All external perimeter locks verified. Entry gates confirmed dead-bolted. No external movement noted.”
A pause, followed by the tinny hiss of a voice Clara recognized with sickening certainty. It was Eleanor’s personal estate manager, Julian. “Did you confirm the internal master override went through on the app?”
“System shows red across all sectors,” the man answered. “AC units offline. Standby generator disabled. If she tries to force the front door, the internal hasp will hold until Monday’s cleaning crew arrives.”
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“Good,” Julian replied over the airwaves. “Ethan’s flight just touched down in San Jose del Cabo. Keep the post until sundown, then clear out. We don’t want private security vehicles on the security cameras if the local sheriff pulls the gate logs later.”
The radio clicked off. The man turned his back to the fence, taking a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. Clara lay motionless in the dirt, the cold realization anchoring her trembling limbs. This was not neglect. This was an orchestrated execution.
