Chapter 2 - THE VOICE ON THE RECORDING
Static crackled through the tiny speaker.
Then Juliette’s voice came through.
Clear.
Cold.
Nothing like the frightened woman standing beside the pool.
“If she stays in the will, none of this will ever belong to us.”
Christopher’s jaw tightened.
Juliette shook her head.
“That’s taken out of context.”
Yvette didn’t even look at her.
The recording continued.
A second voice answered.
Faint.
Female.
Older.
Christopher leaned closer.
“What did she say?”
Yvette reached for the recorder.
“I cleaned up the audio earlier.”
Juliette moved fast.
She lunged.
Security grabbed her before she reached them.
“No!”
Emma screamed.
Christopher immediately turned and pulled the little girl against him.
Juliette struggled against the guards.
“You don’t understand!”
“Then explain,” Christopher said.
“I was talking about the trust. Not Emma.”
Yvette gave a bitter laugh.
“You said a child only needs one unattended accident.”
Silence.
Christopher looked at Juliette.
She stopped fighting.
That silence told him more than any confession could.
Emma trembled against his leg.
Christopher knelt.
“Sweetheart, did Juliette tell you to go near the pool?”
Emma stared at the ground.
“Emma.”
Her bottom lip shook.
“She said my turtle was in the water.”
Christopher felt his blood turn cold.
“What turtle?”
“Mr. Buttons.”
Her stuffed turtle.
The one she slept with every night.
“I went to get him,” Emma whispered. “She said I could reach him if I leaned over.”
Juliette shouted, “She’s confused!”
Emma flinched so hard Christopher saw it.
That small movement broke something inside him.
How many times had his daughter reacted like that?
How many times had he ignored it?
Christopher stood.
“Take Juliette inside. Lock her in the east sitting room until the police arrive.”
“No!”
The guards began pulling her away.
She twisted toward the mansion.
Not toward Christopher.
Toward the second-floor balcony.
“Estelle!” she screamed.
Everyone looked up.
A curtain moved.
Then became still.
Emma buried her face against Christopher.
“She told me Grandma said I shouldn’t live here anymore.”
Christopher stopped breathing.
“Who told you that?”
“Juliette.”
“What exactly did she say?”
Emma’s voice was tiny.
“She said Grandma wanted the house peaceful again.”
Christopher looked at Yvette.
Yvette’s eyes were full of dread.
“Play the rest,” he said.
“Sir—”
“Play it.”
Yvette pressed the button.
Juliette’s voice came first.
Then another voice answered.
Older.
Sharp.
Familiar.
Christopher had heard that voice every day of his childhood.
His mother.
Estelle Pierce.
“Then make sure the little problem never reaches the lawyers.”
Christopher stared at the mansion.
The balcony curtain moved again.
May you like
This time, a hand appeared behind it.
Then disappeared.
