“Here,” Gareth said, pointing at the grainy black-and-white screen.
The time stamp read 11:45 PM.
A dark sedan drove slowly down the deserted street and stopped right in front of my house. A tall man got out. He didn’t rush. He didn’t look nervous. He walked to my gate, unlatched it, and disappeared into the shadows of my yard.
“Lord have mercy,” I whispered.
Ten minutes later, he reappeared. He latched the gate behind him, got into his car, and drove away.
“Pause,” Gareth commanded. He zoomed in on the car. “That’s a logo on the door.”
It was blurry, but legible. HEARTH.
“That looks like a company car,” Gareth muttered. “Not a burglar. Maybe… real estate?”
“Real estate?” Mrs. Higgins piped up. “Oh! That looks just like the car the appraiser used when my daughter bought her apartment! He came late at night too!”
“Appraiser?” I asked, my voice trembling. “Why would an appraiser be at my house at midnight?”
“That,” Gareth said grimly, “is exactly what we are going to find out.”
By lunchtime, we were sitting in the office of Hearthstone Realty. The director, Isaac Graves, looked nervous as Officer Pernell flashed his badge.
“Yes, we sent an appraiser to 17 Chestnut Street last night,” Graves admitted, checking his files. “We have an order for an expedited sale.”
“Sale?” I stood up, my legs shaking. “I never ordered a sale! That house is in my name!”
Graves looked confused. “But Mrs. Vance, we have your power of attorney right here.”
