Chapter 5 - The Red Folder
At sunrise, Daniel called Officer Benitez before going back to the house.
"I got an anonymous message."
"Do not search for anything that could become evidence if you believe a crime occurred," she said. "I'll meet you there."
An hour later, they stood in the garage.
The top shelf of the storage cabinet held paint cans, an old helmet, two empty tool cases, and a red accordion folder.
Daniel had never seen it before.
Officer Benitez put on gloves.
Inside were printed bank statements.
Credit card applications.
Insurance forms.
And copies of Daniel's military orders.
"Why does she have these?" he asked.
The officer kept reading.
Then she pulled out a document with Noah's name on it.
It was an application for a private therapeutic boarding program in Arizona.
Age requirement: six and older.
Noah was five.
A handwritten note in Claire's script said:
AFTER BIRTHDAY — DANIEL CAN BE CONVINCED IF SCHOOL REPORTS GET WORSE.
Daniel stared at the words.
"She was planning to send my son away."
Benitez did not answer immediately.
Under that form was another page.
A draft email addressed to Daniel's commanding officer.
Subject: Concerns Regarding Commander Mercer's Judgment and Home Stability.
The body accused Daniel of explosive anger, instability after deployments, and unsafe behavior around children.
None of it was true.
But the details were written carefully enough to sound plausible.
Daniel sat down on an overturned bucket.
"She was building a case against me."
Benitez said, "Possibly."
"Why?"
"That's what we need to find out."
At the back of the folder was a photocopy of a life insurance policy.
Daniel's policy.
Two million dollars.
Primary beneficiary: Claire Mercer.
That alone meant nothing. He had listed her himself after their wedding.
But a yellow sticky note was attached to the page.
It contained three words.
May you like
ACCIDENTAL DEATH RIDER?
And beneath it was the name of an insurance agent Daniel had never spoken to.
