Now I wondered whether reclaiming it would require more courage than discovering the camera had.
Chapter 40: The Board of a Company
Leah obtained publicly available records about HavenScope Services.
The company was small and had several investors who were not involved in daily operations.
One investor owned a minority stake through a holding company also connected to Wesley Pike’s partnership.
Leah explained that overlapping ownership could be lawful and unremarkable.
The timing of Pike’s interest in our shop remained the more relevant question.
The company’s published promotional materials emphasized home wellness monitoring for elderly people.
They described motion sensors, consent forms, and designated family contacts.
They did not advertise concealed cameras in private living rooms.
I wondered whether Patricia had exploited an otherwise legitimate service or whether its managers knew what she was doing.
Sato had warned me against deciding that question prematurely.
Leah sent a preservation request to HavenScope through formal channels.
The request identified the dates of Patricia’s visits, the device at issue, and the communications we knew about.
We did not accuse every employee of participating in a scheme.
The company acknowledged the request a week later.
Its lawyer asked for additional time to review the records.
I wanted to demand immediate answers.
Leah reminded me that reliable evidence rarely arrived in the order people wanted it.
Meanwhile, the police were doing their own work under different legal standards.
I learned to distinguish between what my attorney could request and what investigators could compel.
The distinction made the process slower but also protected it from easy challenges later.
Chapter 41: A Neighbor’s Petition
Patricia began circulating a petition asking the city to investigate me for harassment.
She described herself as a caregiver who had been punished for helping someone recover from surgery.
Several signatures belonged to people who had seen her deliver groceries to elderly residents.
None of them claimed to have witnessed me authorize a camera.
Helen obtained a copy after Patricia knocked on her door.
Helen refused to sign and asked what evidence supported the accusations.
Patricia told her she should remember who had helped clear snow from her driveway during the last storm.
Helen said a favor did not buy silence.
Patricia left without another word.
The petition reached my employer because someone attached it to an anonymous complaint.
Human resources asked me whether I wanted the matter forwarded to the company’s legal team.
I said yes.
The company recorded that the petition contained allegations, not established facts.
