He introduced himself as a representative of an environmental review company.
He asked whether he could inspect the basement because the property might contain historical records related to Henley.
I asked for his company identification and written authorization.
He showed a business card without a license number.
The card listed an office address that belonged to a private mailbox service.
I told him I would coordinate any legitimate inspection through Detective Calder and my attorney.
He did not raise his voice or threaten me.
He simply looked past my shoulder and asked whether the cabinet had been opened.
I did not answer.
“There’s no reason to make this difficult,” he said.
“You can send your request in writing.”
He remained at the gate for several seconds, then walked back to his gray sedan.
I photographed the vehicle from my own driveway without approaching it.
The license plate was partly obscured by road dirt.
I could read the first three characters and nothing more.
I sent the photo to Calder along with a summary of the conversation.
She asked me not to post the picture online.
“We need to determine who he works for,” she explained.
I agreed.
The stranger’s visit bothered me less than the ease with which he knew about the cabinet.
By that evening, I had changed the door codes and arranged for Luis to keep a written record of everyone authorized to enter the house.
I also checked in with Sophie’s mother.
She asked whether I should sell the property.
“I don’t know,” I said.
“You bought it for Sophie.”
“I know.”
“A house is not worth more than her safety.”
I agreed with that too.
The difficulty was that leaving immediately would not remove whatever information strangers thought I possessed.
It might even make the home more vulnerable to unauthorized entry while the investigation continued.
My attorney advised me to preserve my options and take practical precautions.
That night I sat in the half-painted kitchen and listened to the heater turn on.
I had never noticed how many ordinary noises a house made until I became afraid of one sound that did not belong.
At 11:46, my security system sent a motion alert.
The clip showed Iris standing at her own gate.
She held a flashlight and was staring toward my side yard.
Then the figure from the hedge appeared again.
This time, he carried a folded ladder.
Chapter 15: The Ladder
I called the police before approaching the window.
