The 0% Dad Is A Secret Bitcoin King

CHAPTER 8: EYES IN THE SHADOWS

Garrett had barely made it to the elevators when Victoria’s door opened behind him. The sharp sound of her heels echoed down the hallway.

“Garrett, wait up,” she called, walking toward him with a folder in her hand.

He turned around, resting his bag against his leg. “Is something wrong?”

“Not wrong. Just a detail we need to plan for,” Victoria said, stopping in front of him. “We can handle all the legal paperwork for the Singapore company right here from my office, but turning the digital money into actual cash means you’ll have to go there in person.”

Garrett’s brows furrowed. “I have to fly to Singapore?”

“Just for two days,” Victoria explained.

“Because of Singapore’s strict banking laws, a new account holding this much money requires the owner to sign the papers at the bank in person. Once you sign the first papers, you can handle every transfer online from anywhere in the world.”

Garrett thought about it quickly. Flying out of the country for two days meant he would be away right as the divorce deadline ended. To Evelyn and her lover, it would look like he had run away in shame to hide at his old childhood home.

Let them think that.

It would keep them completely off guard.

“When do I leave?” Garrett asked.

“I’m scheduling your flight for tomorrow afternoon, right after we get your DNA test results,” Victoria replied. “We’ll arrange a private flight so you don’t have to deal with regular airport delays. You’ll land in Singapore, sign the papers at the bank, start the first transfer, and fly straight back.”

“Fine,” Garrett said. “Set it up.”

“I’ll have my assistant text you the flight details once everything is ready,” Victoria said with a professional nod. “Go get some rest.”

Garrett stepped into the elevator, hit the button for the garage, and watched the doors close.

Ten minutes later, he was back behind the wheel, driving away from the business district. He didn't head to his childhood home yet. He had one more stop to make.

While Victoria handled the legal work and the money, Garrett needed hard facts about Evelyn and her lover, Theo Hudson. The DNA test would tell him if Toby was his son, but he wanted to know everything else.

How long had Evelyn been seeing Theo? Was Theo really as rich as he pretended to be? What else were they hiding?

He pulled out his phone and called the number Malcolm had given him earlier that morning.

The line rang twice before a deep, guttural voice answered.

“Jason.”

“Jason Miller?” Garrett asked.

“Depends who’s asking.”

“Malcolm Reed gave me your number,” Garrett said. “He said you’re the best private detective in the city when someone needs a job done fast and quietly.”

There was a short silence on the line.

“Malcolm is a good cop. Where are you?”

“Five minutes from your office.”

“Come on up. Second floor, end of the hall.”

Garrett hung up and turned onto a quiet side street in the old part of town. He parked outside a three-story brick building with a faded sign above the door: Jason Investigative Services.

He walked up a flight of stairs and pushed open the glass door at the end of the hall.

The office was small and smelled like old coffee and paper. Filing cabinets lined the back wall, while a desk in the middle was piled with folders and camera gear.

Behind the desk sat Jason Miller, a man in his late fifties with gray hair, rolled-up sleeves, and sharp, tired eyes. He looked Garrett up and down, taking in his worn jacket and calm, steady posture.

“Sit,” Jason said, pointing to a chair. “Malcolm told me you used to have money, lost it, and now you’re dealing with a wife problem.”

Garrett sat down and rested his hands on his knees. “My wife is Evelyn Dalton. A month ago, she gave me divorce papers. She said she was tired of living with no money.”

“Standard story,” Jason said, pulling a blank pad of paper toward himself. “What’s the part you’re not telling me?”

“Yesterday, I saw her with another man,” Garrett said. “His name is Theo Hudson. He drives a flashy black Bentley and acts like he owns the city. My five-year-old son called him ‘Daddy’ right in front of me.”

Jason’s eyes narrowed slightly, clearly surprised. “Theo Hudson? As in Hudson Group?”

“The same one.”

Jason let out a low whistle. “Hudson’s name comes up in high-society gossip a lot. Big real estate developer, fancy cars, private clubs. What do you want me to do?”

“Everything,” Garrett said, his voice dropping low. “I want twenty-four-hour monitoring on Evelyn and Theo starting today. I want photos, videos, locations, and times for every time they meet.”

Jason wrote down the names. “Watching them is easy. What else?”

“I want a full background check on Theo Hudson,” Garrett continued. “I want to know his real financial situation. Is his company actually doing well, or is he drowning in debt? Are his properties tied up in bad loans? Does he have ex-wives, hidden accounts, or lawsuits against him?”

Jason set his pen down and looked at Garrett carefully. “Digging into a guy like Hudson isn’t cheap, Mr. Dalton. A deep dive into his finances and around-the-clock surveillance takes a team of three working three shifts. My price for a job like this is ten thousand dollars, cash or card upfront.”

Jason glanced at Garrett’s worn-out jacket cuffs, clearly expecting him to argue or ask for a cheaper option.

Garrett didn’t even hesitate. He reached into his pocket, pulled out his second credit card—the high-limit card Victoria had authorized through her firm’s emergency line twenty minutes ago—and laid it on the desk.

“Swipe it,” Garrett said. “Put fifteen thousand on it. Ten for the job and five as a bonus if you find something useful before I get back from my trip in two days.”

Jason looked at the card, then up at Garrett’s face. The doubt in his eyes vanished, replaced by renewed interest.

“You’re not messing around.” Jason took the card and slid it through his machine.

“I don’t have time to mess around,” Garrett replied.

The machine beeped and printed a receipt. Jason signed it, handed Garrett his copy, and pulled a folder from his desk drawer.

“I’ll put two guys in your wife’s apartment building within the hour,” Jason said, his voice turning professional. “If she leaves with Theo, we’ll be right behind them. If they check into a hotel, we’ll have photos of them going in and coming out.”

“Good.” Garrett gave him a thumbs-up. “And Theo’s money?”

“I have a contact in the city records office and a friend who tracks down hidden money for corporate banks,” Jason said. “If Theo has hidden debts or bad loans, I’ll find them by tomorrow night.”

Garrett stood up and buttoned his jacket. “Send all updates straight to my email. Don’t call my phone unless it’s an emergency.”

“Understood.” Jason nodded and reached out to shake his hand. His grip was firm. “Safe travels, Mr. Dalton. I’ll have news for you by the time you land.”

Garrett shook the detective’s hand, turned around, and walked out into the cool afternoon air.

He got back into his car and started the engine. Everything was falling into place now. Victoria was handling the legal trap, Jason was watching from the shadows, and in less than twenty-four hours, the truth about Toby would be in his hands.