“Avoid attending your spouse’s burial. Inspect your sibling’s residence…”…

For others – artist, doctor, military. She told that through the detective learned about two more women Paul deceived. One lost a large sum of money.

Paul borrowed from her for business development and disappeared. Another almost divorced her husband because of affair with Paul. I asked if Sarah knew anything about Emily.

She shook her head but said the detective mentioned a young woman Paul saw lately. We exchanged contacts and agreed to share info. Sarah gave me numbers of other deceived women.

Said they were ready to help too. After the meeting, I drove home feeling I’d finally found allies. People who understood what I was going through.

Who knew what Paul was capable of. At home, I called the first woman from Sarah’s list. Her name was Natalie, 40 years old.

She told her story: Paul deceived her out of 200 thousand dollars. Natalie said Paul introduced himself as investor. Offered to invest in promising project.

Showed fake documents, introduced to fake partners. She believed and gave him all her savings. Paul disappeared the next day.

Phones didn’t answer, office turned out rented for one day. Natalie filed a police report, but case closed. Said evidence of fraud insufficient.

That it could be failed investment. Second woman, Elena, told similar story. Paul deceived her not for money, but emotionally.

Promised marriage, introduced to fake parents, even showed fake divorce certificate. Elena almost left husband and kids for him. Good she realized in time something wrong.

I wrote down all these stories and saw a pattern. Paul acted by one scheme: gained trust, got what he wanted, disappeared. Changed only details depending on victim.

With me, he played loving husband. With Emily – passionate lover. With other women – roles that suited them.

But in all cases, the end was the same: Paul disappeared, leaving destroyed lives. The next day, I met Natalie and Elena. We sat in the same cafe where I’d met Sarah.

Four women deceived by one man. We made a common action plan. Decided to gather all evidence in one place.

Create a dossier on Paul with all his deceptions and crimes. Natalie suggested hiring the same detective who worked with Sarah. Said ready to pay for his services if it helped punish Paul.

Elena said she had a journalist acquaintance. That we could publish material about the fraud if we gathered enough facts. Sarah suggested tracking Paul.

Find out where he lived now, what he did, if planning new deceptions. I agreed to everything. For the first time in many days, I felt not alone in this fight.

We divided duties. Natalie contacted the detective. Elena searched for other victims through social media.

Sarah studied financial documents. And I was to watch Emily and Paul. That same evening, I drove to Emily’s house.

Parked on the next street. From where her windows were visible? Wanted to understand how they lived, their routine.

About nine evening, lights went on in windows. I saw silhouettes of two people, man and woman. They moved around the apartment, did something in kitchen.

About ten, light off in living room but on in bedroom. I sat in the car thinking what was happening there. How they planned my future.

Next day, I came again. This time took a camera with good zoom. Wanted photos proving Paul alive.

About noon, Emily left the house. She looked nervous, kept looking around. Got in car and drove downtown.

I followed her. Emily stopped at bank, went inside. Half hour later came out with thick envelope in hands.

Then she drove to pharmacy. Bought something, quickly returned to car. I noticed her hands shook opening the door.

Emily returned home and didn’t leave again. But in windows, I saw her walking room to room. Fast, nervously, like a caged animal.

In the evening, I called Sarah and told about my observations. She said it was typical behavior for people in fraud. Stress, paranoia, constant expectation of exposure.

Sarah added the detective found another Paul victim. Woman from neighboring city who lost apartment due to his deception. Next day, I dutiied at Emily’s house again.

About eight evening, a man left the entrance. Tall, in dark clothes, face hidden by hood. I turned on camera and started shooting.

The man walked fast, constantly looked around. Reached house corner and stopped under streetlight. At that moment, wind blew off his hood.

I saw the face and almost screamed. It was Paul. But he looked completely different.

Dark hair covered by light wig. Fake beard on face. Glasses he never had.

I kept shooting until he disappeared around corner. Heart pounded so loud sure heard on whole street. I had evidence.

Video where Paul leaves Emily’s house in disguise. This proved he was alive, faked his death. I immediately sent video to Sarah, Natalie, Elena.

Wrote finally we had irrefutable evidence. Sarah replied first. Said it was breakthrough.

That now we could go to police with fraud statement. Natalie wrote detective ready to give official testimony. That he had documents confirming Paul’s deceptions.

Elena reported journalist interested in story. Ready to publish if we provided all evidence. I returned home feeling victory.

For first time in all this, felt I controlled situation. Had plan and allies. But when I opened apartment door, surprise awaited.

Envelope on floor. Someone shoved it under door while I was away. Inside a photo.

Me sitting in car near Emily’s with camera in hands. Taken yesterday evening. On photo back written: we know what you’re doing.

Stop while it’s not too late. I sat on couch with shaking hands. Meaning they watched me too.

Knew my actions, meetings with other women. But now it didn’t matter. I had video with Paul.

Had allies. Had plan. The game was just beginning.

Next morning, Emily called. Her voice hysterical, almost breaking. She said someone watching her house.

That she’d seen suspicious car several days in row. Emily asked if I knew who it could be. If I’d heard rumors someone interested in her life.

I said I knew nothing. Maybe journalists; they sometimes interested in deceased families. Emily didn’t calm.

Said scared to leave house. Felt like in prison. After talk, I understood pressure worked.

Emily nervous, losing control. Soon she’d start making mistakes. Daytime, I met detective Natalie hired.

Man about 50, with tired eyes and professional grip. He watched my video and said excellent work. That such evidence very valuable in fraud case.

Detective told he’d found three more women Paul deceived. Total damage over a million dollars. He suggested coordinating our actions.

Said he had police connections to help file statement correctly. We agreed to meet in two days with all victims. Detective promised to prepare full dossier on Paul.

In the evening, I drove to Emily’s house again. Wanted to check how they reacted to pressure. About nine, Emily ran out of entrance.

Without jacket, hair disheveled, face red from tears. Got in car and drove somewhere at high speed. I followed.

Emily stopped at 24-hour pharmacy, went inside. Few minutes later came out with bag of meds. Then drove to park.

Stopped in empty parking lot, got out and started walking circles. Talked to herself, waved arms. I watched from car and understood Emily on brink of breakdown.

Stress eating her from inside. Half hour later, she returned to car and drove home. But on way, stopped again at phone booth.

Talked long with someone, nervously gestured. When Emily finally returned home, past midnight. Lights in her apartment on till morning.

Next day, I told Sarah about it. She said Emily behaved like person losing control. That soon she might do something irreparable.

Sarah suggested increasing pressure. Start spreading rumors Emily involved in fraud. That people should know truth.

I agreed. Started cautiously telling acquaintances my suspicions. Not all at once, just hints.

That Emily behaved strangely after husband’s death. Recovered from grief too fast. Rumors started spreading.

People began looking at Emily differently when she appeared in public. Whispered behind her back, pointed fingers. A week later, Emily called me again.

This time furious. Screamed someone spreading nasties about her.

That her reputation ruined. She accused me of not defending her. That as sister, I should stand on her side.

I calmly replied I didn’t know what she talked about. That people drew conclusions from her behavior. Emily hung up without goodbye.

That same evening, message from Sarah. She wrote detective ready. That tomorrow we file collective police statement.

I went to bed feeling tomorrow new chapter in this story. Chapter where truth finally comes out.

Morning after we agreed to file police statement, I woke to call from work. My boss, Louise, calling. Voice cold, official.

She said received complaints about my behavior. That employees said I’d behaved strangely last week. That clients complained about my absentmindedness and nervousness.

Louise added she understood my grief, but work is work. That I needed to pull myself together or take leave. I tried to explain I was handling duties.

That no serious mistakes. But she adamant. Said better take unpaid leave for a month.

That in that time I could recover and solve personal problems. I understood arguing useless. Agreed to leave and hung up.

Sat in kitchen thinking where these complaints came from. I really was absentminded last weeks, but not so much it affected work. Clients. I’d hardly communicated with clients lately.

Someone deliberately turned people against me. Hour later, Sarah called. Voice agitated.

Told detective canceled meeting. Said couldn’t work our case anymore. Sarah tried to find reason, but detective evasive.

Talked about conflict of interest and ethical considerations. I asked if he mentioned who influenced him. Sarah said no.

But he looked scared. After talk with Sarah, I drove to bank. Wanted to withdraw money from account to hire another detective.

In bank, surprise awaited. Teller said access to joint account blocked. Judicial order to freeze funds.

I asked to see documents. Turned out petition filed by some lawyer on behalf of Paul’s heirs. Petition said I might squander inheritance funds in state of mental disorder…