"Derek, this is the dowry I saved. It's not much, but it's enough to start a small business."
Derek nearly fell to his knees. He told anyone who would listen, "See? This is true love! Valerie Fox is just a gold digger who abandoned me, but Chelsea is my salvation!"
People looked at him like he was deranged.
By then, I was already assisting on high-profile investigations. He was a disowned cripple; I was a rising forensic consultant. Worlds apart.
Through my police connections, I quickly realized the source of Chelsea's "dowry." It wasn't savings. It was loot.
A string of burglaries had plagued their neighborhood—electric scooters, jewelry, cash. The police had opened files but lacked hard evidence.
I didn't. Cross-referencing the timeline with surveillance footage, I spotted a familiar silhouette.
Chelsea.
