Chapter 5: The Missing Hours
I didn’t sleep that night.
Not even for a minute.
Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Emily’s face.
Not the ultrasound.
Not the tears.
The fear.
The kind of fear that comes from carrying something alone for too long.
At 6:00 the next morning, I was sitting beside her hospital bed when Detective Grant returned.
She had two coffees in her hand.
“I didn’t know how you took yours.””
“I don’t even know if I like coffee anymore.””
She gave me a sympathetic look.
“Fair.””
Emily was awake.
She looked smaller in the morning light.
But there was something different too.
Like the truth had taken away some of the weight she had been carrying.
Detective Grant sat down.
“We received preliminary information from Chloe Reed.””
Emily looked up.
“What did she find?””
“The security footage.””
My stomach tightened.
“And?””
“She recovered several clips.””
Nobody moved.
“Detective?””
She looked at Emily first.
“I need to ask if you’re ready to hear this.””
Emily swallowed.
“I need to know.””
Detective Grant nodded.
“The footage confirms Daniel left the property at 11:06 p.m.””
I closed my eyes.
Even though I already knew.
Hearing it made it real.
“Where did he go?””
“We’re still investigating.””
“And Victor?””
“He remained at the property.””
Emily gripped the blanket.
Detective Grant continued.
“There is a gap in the recording.””
“What kind of gap?””
“Approximately forty-seven minutes.””
“Deleted?””
“We believe so.””
My heart sank.
“By who?””
“We don’t know yet.””
Emily whispered:
“Daniel.””
Detective Grant didn’t confirm.
But she wrote something down.
Then she looked at Emily.
“There is something else.””
Emily looked nervous.
“What?””
“The footage shows another person arriving.””
My breath stopped.
“Who?””
Detective Grant hesitated.
“A woman.””
Emily’s face changed.
“No.””
“Emily?””
“No.””
She shook her head.
“I know who.””
I leaned closer.
“Who?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“His wife.””
I stared.
“Marcus’s wife?””
Emily nodded.
“Rachel.””
The name sounded familiar.
I remembered Daniel mentioning her once.
A quiet woman.
A woman who rarely attended gatherings.
A woman who apparently knew much more than she ever said.
“Why was she there?”” I asked.
Emily looked down.
“She came because she knew.””
“Knew what?””
Emily’s voice became barely audible.
“That Victor was dangerous.””
The room went silent.
Detective Grant leaned forward.
“Emily, did Rachel tell you that?””
“No.””
“Then how do you know?””
“Because she said something before she left.””
“What?””
Emily closed her eyes.
“She said, ‘I’m sorry I didn’t stop this sooner.’”
I felt sick.
Another person knew.
Another adult saw something was wrong.
And my daughter was still the one carrying the consequences.
Detective Grant received another call.
She stepped away.
When she returned, her expression was serious.
“Mrs. Carter, I need to ask you something.””
“What?””
“Did Daniel have access to Emily’s medical records?””
I frowned.
“Why?””
“Because someone attempted to cancel yesterday’s appointment request.””
My blood went cold.
“What?””
“The urgent care appointment you tried to schedule three weeks ago.””
I remembered.
The one Daniel said wasn’t necessary.
“He called them?””
“Yes.””
“Why would he do that?””
Detective Grant looked at Emily.
“Did he tell you he was trying to stop your mother from finding out?””
Emily nodded.
“He said once the doctor confirmed it, everything would become official.””
Official.
That word stuck.
“Why would he care about that?””
Emily didn’t answer.
She looked terrified.
“Emily?””
She whispered:
“Because Daniel said if anyone found out before he fixed it, Victor would destroy him.””
My skin turned cold.
Not because of Victor.
Because of Daniel.
For weeks, I thought my husband was hiding a family secret.
But maybe he wasn’t protecting our family.
Maybe he was protecting himself.
My phone suddenly vibrated.
Unknown number.
Again.
This time, there was no picture.
Only a message.
*Sarah, stop listening to Emily. She doesn’t know the truth.*
Then another message appeared.
*I do.*
May you like
A name followed.
Rachel Reed.
