Chapter 7 - THE VIDEO
Miller left in handcuffs.
Not because we had proved murder.
Not yet.
But because the responding officers had heard enough to call internal affairs.
Claire made three copies of every file before anyone touched the original devices.
Daniel would have approved.
He always backed up everything.
Contracts.
Photos.
Receipts.
Even grocery lists.
By six that evening, the funeral home had become a crime scene.
My husband was still lying in the next room.
That felt obscene.
Police officers whispered outside while flowers wilted beside his coffin.
Madison sat against me.
“Can we take Daddy home?”
The question broke something inside me.
“No, baby.”
“Why?”
“Because…”
I had no good answer.
Because adults had turned his funeral into an investigation.
Because people he trusted had lied.
Because I had missed whatever fear had been eating him alive before he died.
Claire found the cloud folder.
MADDIE’S SCIENCE FAIR.
Inside were thirty-two files.
Bank records.
Photos.
Audio.
A spreadsheet.
And one video.
Daniel had filmed it on his phone.
The date was three days before his death.
He sat inside his car in a parking garage.
His face looked exhausted.
“If anything happens to me, Sarah needs to see this.”
I covered my mouth.
On screen, Daniel looked directly into the camera.
“Sarah, I’m sorry.”
My eyes filled.
“I should have told you sooner. I thought I could fix it without dragging you and Madison into this.”
Madison leaned closer.
Daniel continued.
“Ryan stole money. That part is true. But Trevor used Ryan’s theft to create fake vendor accounts and move almost three million dollars.”
Ryan whispered, “Three million?”
Apparently even he hadn’t known.
Daniel continued.
“Detective Miller has been feeding Trevor information about the audit. I believe Trevor is paying him.”
Then Daniel held up a flash drive.
“I also found security footage from our office garage.”
The video switched.
Grainy footage.
Trevor stood near an elevator with Detective Miller.
No audio.
Trevor handed him an envelope.
Miller tucked it inside his coat.
Then came another clip.
This one made Ryan stand up.
Daniel’s voice:
“This is two nights ago.”
The camera showed Daniel’s office.
Trevor walked inside.
Then Ryan.
They argued.
No sound.
Ryan shoved Trevor.
Trevor grabbed Ryan by the jacket.
Daniel entered.
Separated them.
Ryan stormed out.
Trevor stayed.
The clip ended.
Ryan stared at the screen.
“I never knew Daniel had that.”
Claire opened another file.
This one was labeled:
IF I DIE.
Daniel appeared again.
“I don’t know which one of them will come after me first.”
His eyes looked red.
“But I know somebody has been inside my house.”
I felt Madison tense.
“I changed the locks,” Daniel said. “It didn’t matter.”
Then he leaned closer to the camera.
“If Sarah watches this, tell her to check the basement vent.”
I stood so fast the chair tipped over.
Claire grabbed my arm.
“Sarah.”
“What?”
“The police need to do that.”
“That’s my house.”
“And potentially a murder scene.”
“My daughter sleeps there.”
“Not tonight.”
She was right.
But all I could think about was Daniel secretly hiding something inside our basement while Madison and I lived above it.
I called the officer in charge.
Thirty minutes later, we were standing outside my own home.
Police went in first.
They found the vent behind the furnace.
Inside was a flash drive.
And a small clear plastic bag.
Inside the bag was a red cufflink.
Madison whispered:
“That’s Mr. Trevor’s.”
Then an officer shouted from upstairs.
“Detective!”
Footsteps thundered.
A moment later, a cop came down carrying a tablet.
“Someone just accessed the Carter home security system remotely.”
Claire looked at me.
“From where?”
May you like
The officer swallowed.
“Inside the house.”
