Chapter 6: The Man Behind the Debt
Robert's referral called at seven-thirty in the morning.
Her name was Patricia Holt.
She had a calm, precise voice that made you feel like the situation — however bad — had edges she could work with.
"I've reviewed the document," she said.
"Robert sent it to me an hour ago.
I have some questions, and then I'm going to tell you exactly where Emily stands."
Emily was at the table, dressed now, both hands wrapped around a mug of tea she hadn't drunk.
"Go ahead," I said.
I had her on speaker.
"The agreement is dated March 14th.
Jake's signature is witnessed by a notary.
The notary's stamp is registered in Nevada." A pause.
"Does Jake have any connection to Nevada?
Property, business, family?"
Emily looked up.
"He went to Nevada in March.
That was the work trip."
"That confirms the signing location.
Now — Royce D.
Callum.
Have either of you heard that name before this document?"
"No," Emily said.
"I've done some preliminary searching this morning.
He's not easy to find, which is itself informative.
There's a registered LLC in Nevada under that name — Callum Capital Ventures.
It was incorporated eighteen months ago.
No public filings beyond the registration.
No website.
No listed employees."
"What does that mean?" I asked.
"It means it was created to move money, not to run a business.
These structures are common in private lending arrangements that stay deliberately off the books." Another pause.
"I've also found two civil filings in Clark County from the past three years.
Both settled out of court.
Both involved individuals who had entered into private loan agreements with entities connected to the same registered agent."
Emily set her mug down.
"Were those people hurt?"
Patricia's answer came carefully.
"One of them relocated out of state shortly after the settlement.
The other — I wasn't able to find a current address."
The kitchen was very quiet.
"Patricia," Emily said.
"What do I need to do right now to protect my baby?"
"Three things.
First, I'm filing an emergency protective order this morning based on the credible threat — the bracelet, the date, the police report from yesterday.
That creates a legal barrier between you and anyone connected to this debt.
Second, I need you to give a full statement to the police today, including the phone call from Michael and the document.
Third — and this is important — you do not speak to Jake without me present.
Not by phone, not by text, not in person."
"He texted her last night," I said.
"Don't respond.
Forward it to me." A brief pause.
"Emily, I want to be honest with you.
The contract itself cannot be enforced.
But the man who wrote it may not care about that.
People like Royce Callum don't typically pursue legal remedies.
They pursue other kinds of pressure."
Emily nodded slowly, even though Patricia couldn't see her.
"I understand," she said.
"Good.
I'll meet you at the police station at ten.
Don't go alone."
The call ended.
Emily looked at me across the table.
"Jake knew," she said.
It wasn't a question.
"He knew what kind of man Royce was and he signed anyway."
"It sounds that way."
"And he never told me." Her voice didn't rise.
It went quieter instead, which was worse.
"Five months.
Every night.
He came home and sat at our dinner table and never said a word."
I reached across the table.
She looked down at my hand on hers.
"I keep thinking about the party," she said.
"All those people.
The pink and blue streamers.
I was so happy yesterday morning." She paused.
"I was genuinely happy."
"I know you were."
"And he was standing right next to me, knowing all of it." She looked up.
"What kind of person does that?"
I didn't answer.
Because the answer was sitting in a lawyer's office somewhere across town, and we were going to have to face it in a few hours.
My phone buzzed.
A message from an unknown number — different from Michael's.
*"Tell your daughter to convince Jake to pay.
She has until midnight.
After that, this becomes a family matter."*
I turned the phone so Emily could read it.
Her face didn't change.
May you like
"Forward that to Patricia," she said quietly.
I already was.
