Chapter 8: The Part He Deleted
Daniel refused to give us the rest of the footage.
He said his attorney advised him not to.
That phrase became his shield.
Every question.
Every accusation.
Every time we got close.
“My attorney advised me.””
But Detective Grant wasn’t intimidated.
“Then your attorney can explain why evidence disappeared.””
Daniel looked at her.
“You’re assuming I deleted something.””
“No.””
She looked at the laptop.
“I’m assuming someone did.””
That answer bothered him.
Because she didn’t need to accuse him.
She was already thinking.
Back at the hospital, Emily was waiting.
When I entered the room, she immediately looked at my face.
“What happened?””
I sat beside her.
“Your father had a video.””
Her expression changed.
“He showed you?””
“Yes.””
“What did it show?””
I hesitated.
Because I didn’t want to put more pain on her.
But Emily deserved the truth.
“He showed us footage of you at the lake house.””
She looked down.
“Did it make me look guilty?””
My heart hurt.
“No.””
“Mom…”
“No.””
I took her hand.
“It made Daniel look afraid.””
Her eyes lifted.
“Why?””
“Because the video proved he lied.””
Emily closed her eyes.
Like she had expected it.
“What did he lie about?””
“He left the house that night.””
A tear slipped down her cheek.
“I told you.””
“I know.””
“He always leaves out the parts that make him look bad.””
Those words stayed with me.
Not because they were surprising.
Because they sounded practiced.
Like Emily had spent months learning that lesson.
Detective Grant entered.
“We have an update.””
Emily sat straighter.
“What?””
“We contacted the security company that installed the cameras.””
“And?””
“The original system had cloud backups.””
My heart jumped.
“Daniel didn’t have access?””
“He did.””
“Then why?””
“He thought he did.””
A small silence followed.
Detective Grant held up her phone.
“The company found an archived file.””
Emily looked nervous.
“Does it show what happened?””
“We don’t know yet.””
“Can we see it?””
Detective Grant looked at her.
“You don’t have to.””
“I need to.””
I sat beside her.
“We watch it together.””
The footage loaded.
A timestamp appeared.
12:37 a.m.
The camera showed the living room.
Victor was there.
Marcus was there.
Then Daniel entered.
The three men were talking.
No sound.
But their body language told a story.
Victor looked angry.
Daniel looked nervous.
Marcus looked uncomfortable.
Then something happened.
Daniel pointed upstairs.
Toward where Emily had been.
Emily grabbed my hand.
“I remember.””
“What?””
“That moment.””
The video continued.
Daniel walked upstairs.
The camera didn’t follow.
For several minutes, nothing happened.
Then—
A fourth person appeared.
Rachel.
She entered the room.
She looked upset.
She argued with Victor.
Then Marcus.
Then Daniel returned.
And when he did…
Rachel immediately backed away.
Like she had seen something.
The footage continued.
At 1:22 a.m., Daniel left again.
This time, the camera captured something different.
He wasn’t alone.
A man followed him outside.
Victor.
Detective Grant leaned closer.
“Interesting.””
The two men stood near the driveway.
Then Daniel handed Victor something.
A small object.
The camera quality wasn’t perfect.
But it was enough.
“What is that?”” I asked.
Detective Grant zoomed in.
“A flash drive.””
My stomach dropped.
The video continued.
Victor put it into his pocket.
Then Daniel said something.
Even without sound, his mouth movement was clear.
Detective Grant froze the frame.
“What?””
She stared.
Then she quietly said:
“He said, ‘If this gets out, we’re both finished.’”
Emily covered her mouth.
I looked at her.
“Sweetheart?””
She was staring at the screen.
Not at Daniel.
At Victor.
“No.””
“What?””
She pointed.
Her hand shook.
“That’s not the first time I saw that.””
“What do you mean?””
Her face went pale.
“Mom…”
She looked terrified.
“Victor had that flash drive before.””
“When?””
“The morning after.””
The room went silent.
Detective Grant looked at her.
“Emily, are you sure?””
Emily nodded slowly.
“I saw him holding it.””
“Where?””
“In Daniel’s office.””
My breath stopped.
“Why would Victor have something from Daniel’s office?””
Emily whispered:
“Because Daniel gave it to him.””
Then the hospital room phone rang.
Nobody moved.
A nurse answered.
Then looked toward us.
“Mrs. Carter?””
“Yes?””
“There’s someone here to see Emily.””
“Who?””
The nurse swallowed.
“She says her name is Vanessa Carter.””
I froze.
I had never heard that name before.
Emily looked confused.
“Who is Vanessa?””
The nurse lowered her voice.
“She says she’s Daniel’s sister.””
And then Emily whispered:
“Mom…”
I turned.
May you like
Her face was filled with fear.
“I’ve never met his sister.””
