Chapter 7 - THE HOUSE WAS LISTENING
Cole didn't sleep.
Emily tried.
He sat beside her until nearly three in the morning.
Every time she moved, he opened his eyes.
Finally, she whispered.
“You can sleep.”
“I know.”
“You're not going to.”
“No.”
A tiny smile appeared on her face.
The first one since he came home.
Cole touched her stomach.
Their daughter moved beneath his palm.
He froze.
Emily smiled again.
“You felt that?”
Cole nodded.
For seven months, he had imagined this moment.
He had never imagined feeling it while wondering whether his wife's own father was dangerous.
The next morning, Cole made one decision.
They weren't staying in the house.
Emily didn't argue.
They packed two bags.
Carol had spent the night at a nearby motel.
Ruiz had left after Richard was taken in.
At 8:17 a.m., Cole carried the bags toward the garage.
Then he stopped.
A tiny green light blinked beneath the hallway smoke detector.
Cole stared at it.
He pulled out his phone.
“Emily.”
She appeared.
“What?”
“Did we install cameras?”
“No.”
Cole climbed onto a chair.
He twisted the smoke detector loose.
A small camera sat behind it.
Emily's face went white.
Cole searched the house.
One camera in the hallway.
Another in the kitchen.
One near the back door.
And one inside the nursery.
Emily stared at the final device.
“Dad installed the security system while you were gone.”
Cole looked at her.
“When?”
“Two months ago.”
“Did he tell you about cameras?”
“No.”
Cole called Ruiz.
Twenty minutes later, police returned.
This time, they brought a detective.
Detective Lena Brooks.
She examined the devices.
“These aren't part of a standard residential system.”
Cole folded his arms.
“Can you trace them?”
“We'll try.”
Emily stood in the nursery doorway.
Her hand rested against the unfinished crib.
Then Brooks discovered something else.
A small router hidden inside the hall closet.
It transmitted the camera feeds remotely.
“To where?”
Emily asked.
Brooks looked at the device.
“We'll need digital forensics.”
Cole's phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Mercer.”
Richard's voice came through.
“You're making a mistake.”
Cole looked toward Brooks.
She immediately motioned for him to keep Richard talking.
“How did you get this number?”
Richard ignored the question.
“Take Emily somewhere safe.”
Cole's expression changed.
“That sounds like a threat.”
“No.”
For the first time, Richard sounded genuinely frightened.
“It's a warning.”
Cole looked at Emily.
“From who?”
Richard lowered his voice.
“You think this was all me.”
Cole said nothing.
Richard continued.
“It wasn't.”
“Then who installed the cameras?”
Silence.
“Richard.”
A breath.
Then three words.
“My sister did.”
Cole frowned.
“Patricia is dead.”
“I know.”
“Then what are you saying?”
May you like
Richard's next sentence made Emily grab Cole's arm.
“I'm saying she wasn't working alone.”
