A few hours later, the Airbnb was quiet except for the soft hum of the internet. Maya, far away but connected through the screen, was digging into the dark story of Evelyn Davies and the man they called “The Architect.” Jason and Leah, tired and sipping cold coffee, watched closely. The cursor on the screen moved fast, showing Maya was deep in the digital world.

Maya was like a ghost online. Her fingers flew across the keyboard as she searched through old records, gallery files, and rare social listings. At first, everything about Evelyn Davies looked normal: she was a talented artist, gave money to charities, and was a loving...