The Heiress He Underestimated novel Chapter 155

Chapter 155 Angela Reeves

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Meanwhile, across town, Elera and Drakonius were in a small, cozy living room that smelled of lavender and lemon polish. It belonged to Angela Reeves, widow of Detective Michael Reeves. She was a woman in her late fifties with beautiful and kind eyes, silver hair cut in a sensible bob, and hands that were constantly moving–smoothing her skirt, adjusting a photo frame or twisting a tissue.

She had made them tea. The cups were a delicate china with little roses on them. Drakonius looked profoundly uncomfortable holding his, like he was afraid it might shatter if he breathed

wrong.

“Thank you for seeing us, Mrs. Reeves,” Elera said for the third time. “We know this must be difficult.”

“It’s Angela, please,” the woman said softly. “And it’s… it’s a relief, in a way. For five years, I’ve felt like I was screaming into a void no one would listen. They all wanted to believe Mike killed himself. It was easier.” She looked at a photograph on the mantel–a smiling man in a police uniform, holding a little girl on his shoulders. “He wouldn’t have. Not ever. He loved his job. He loved his family. He was… he was a good man.”

“We believe you,” Drakonius said, his voice gentler than Elera had ever heard it. He set his teacup down carefully on a coaster. “And we believe he was killed because of what he discovered.”

Angela nodded, her eyes filling. She took a shaky breath. “He was working on the Lyros case. The official story never sat right with him. Sarah was a good kid, he said. Something was off. Then he found that traffic camera. It was supposed to be broken, but it had a backup memory card. He pulled the footage.” She closed her eyes. “He came home that night, white as a sheet. He said, ‘Angie, I think I just stepped on a dragon’s tail.‘ He said the man on the tape was Kieran Nethys. A big shot. He knew it was dangerous. He made copies and he hid them.”

“Where?” Elera asked, leaning forward.

“In his fishing tackle box,” Angela said, a small, sad smile touching her lips. “Mike loved to fish. He said no one would ever look there. It’s in the garage. I’ll go get it.”

She left the room. Drakonius and Elera exchanged a look.

“Fishing tackle box,” Drakonius murmured. “Smart.”

“Hiding in plain sight,” Elera agreed.

Angela returned with an old, beat–up green plastic box. She set it on the coffee table and opened it. On top were lures and lines. She dug underneath and pulled out a waterproof pouch. Inside were three flash drives and a small, leather–bound notebook.

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Chapter 155 Angela Reeves

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Finished

“The drives have the footage, and his case notes,” Angela said, handing them to Elera. “The notebook… that’s his personal one. Things he didn’t put in the official report. Names, dates and some conversations he overheard.”

Elera took the notebook as if it were made of glass. She opened it. Detective Reeves’s handwriting was neat and precise. She skimmed a page.

1. Nethys met with Commissioner Dawes at the Oak Club. 2 hrs. Dawes came out looking pleased. Large “donation” to police widows fund processed the next day.

Judge Carballo’s daughter’s tuition at Stanford paid by Meridian Holdings “scholarship.” Case involving Nethys subsidiary dismissed.

A witness in the trucking accident case recanted after a visit from two men in suits. It was the same men who had threatened J. Martinez.

“He was building a map,” Elera whispered. “A map of my father’s corruption.”

“He was a terrier,” Angela said with pride. “Once he got his teeth into something, he wouldn’t let go.” Her face fell. “And it got him killed.”

Drakonius took one of the flash drives. “We have a forensic tech who can verify all of this. This is… this is incredible, Angela. This could be what brings him down.”

“That’s all I want,” Angela said, her voice fierce now. “I don’t want money. I don’t want revenge. I just want the truth to come out. I want people to know my Mike didn’t leave us. He was taken. And I want the man who took him to pay.”

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