Chapter 3 - The Digital Noose
I locked myself in my office,
the room that Travis thought he had bugged.
He was right,
of course,
there was a tiny microphone hidden in the lamp.
I leaned close to it and whispered,
"I hope you’re listening,
Travis."
Then I opened my laptop and began to upload the files.
Three months of recordings.
Every time Travis threatened to lock me in a psych ward.
Every time Brianna bragged about stealing my jewelry.
Every time Big Tom discussed forging my signature on the loan documents.
I watched the progress bar:
10%... 20%... 30%.
Outside,
I could hear Brianna’s high-pitched laugh.
She was probably on her phone,
posting more photos of Barnaby.
I checked my social media feed.
Her post from last night was still there:
"Some pets eventually become useful."
The comments were starting to turn.
People were asking what happened to the goose.
A local animal rescue group had commented,
"This animal was registered with us."
"We are looking into this."
I smiled.
Brianna was a social climber,
and she had just handed me the ladder to pull her down.
I sent a direct message to the rescue group’s leader.
"I have the video of them forced-feeding me,"
I wrote.
"And the location of the remains."
The reply came instantly:
"We are sending a representative and the sheriff."
I felt a surge of adrenaline.
I wasn't just fighting for the land anymore;
I was fighting for Barnaby.
He had been my only friend in this den of vipers,
and his death was going to be the final nail in their coffins.
I looked at the folder on my desktop labeled 'The Audit.'
It contained proof of five million dollars in tax evasion.
It contained the names of the politicians Big Tom had bribed.
It was a digital noose,
and I was ready to pull it tight.
I heard a heavy thud against my office door.
"Samantha!
Open this door!"
Travis screamed.
I didn't answer.
I just clicked 'Send' on the email to the District Attorney.
The door began to splinter.
They were desperate now.
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They knew the girl they had bullied was gone.
And they were terrified of the woman who had taken her place.
