Chapter 7: The Phone Hidden in My Daughter’s Closet
Detective Harris immediately asked Emily Brooks to preserve every message, photograph, and recording she had.
Then she looked at me.
"Mr. Carter, I understand that you want to go home and retrieve that phone. But given the allegations, you shouldn't enter the house alone or attempt to search for evidence without coordinating with investigators.""
"What if Vanessa gets there first?""
"We're addressing that possibility.""
I looked toward Noah's examination room. My six-month-old son was still undergoing tests, and Lily sat beside me with her stuffed puppy tucked beneath her chin.
Every minute felt like another opportunity for Vanessa to destroy something that could protect my children.
"How long will this take?"" I asked.
"I can't promise you a specific timeline," Detective Harris said.
"But I'll contact the appropriate personnel and explain the urgency.""
Lily tugged at my sleeve.
"Daddy, are we going home?""
"Not yet, sweetheart.""
"Is Mommy still angry?""
I crouched in front of her.
"I don't know how Mommy feels right now. But I know this isn't your fault.""
She studied my face.
"Even if I broke a plate?""
"Even then.""
"Even if Noah cried?""
"Even then.""
She looked down at her shoes.
"Mommy said good girls don't make their daddies sad.""
I pulled her into my arms.
"Good girls don't have to be perfect. You just have to be Lily.""
For a moment, she rested against me without trembling.
Then Detective Harris's phone rang.
She listened, asked two questions, and ended the call.
"We've contacted the appropriate authorities. We'll arrange for the house to be secured and for the evidence to be recovered properly. In the meantime, I'd like you to tell me more about the temporary housekeeper.""
I explained that Emily had worked for us briefly while Vanessa recovered from Noah's birth. I had met her only twice. Vanessa handled her schedule, paid her, and eventually announced that Emily had quit because she was unreliable.
"Did Emily ever contact you directly?"" Detective Harris asked.
"No. Vanessa said Emily had been stealing food from the kitchen.""
"Did you verify that?""
I stared at her.
"No.""
The answer embarrassed me more than I expected.
I had accepted Vanessa's explanation because I trusted my wife. I had been working long hours, taking extra shifts, and telling myself that my family was fortunate to have someone managing the house.
I hadn't noticed that my daughter was becoming afraid of her own footsteps.
"I should have paid more attention," I admitted.
Detective Harris closed her notebook.
"You can reflect on that later. Right now, your children need you to make good decisions.""
Before I could respond, a nurse appeared at the door.
"Mr. Carter? Dr. Miller is ready to update you about Noah.""
I stood so quickly that my chair scraped across the floor.
Lily followed me, holding my hand.
Dr. Miller met us in a consultation room. She looked serious but composed.
"The additional imaging has confirmed an injury to Noah's leg," she explained.
"We've also identified findings that warrant further investigation. We cannot establish the cause from the medical examination alone, but we are documenting everything carefully.""
"Will he be all right?""
"His condition is stable. We'll continue monitoring him and consult the appropriate specialists.""
I swallowed.
"Can I see him?""
"Of course.""
She led us into the room where Noah lay beneath a white blanket. His eyes were half-closed, and his tiny hand rested beside his cheek.
I touched his fingers.
"I'm here, buddy.""
He stirred.
Lily stood on her tiptoes to see him.
"Is Noah mad at me?""
Dr. Miller turned toward her.
"No, sweetheart. Babies don't get hurt because their brothers or sisters are bad. Sometimes grown-ups need help keeping babies safe, and that's what we're doing.""
Lily nodded slowly.
Then she whispered, "Mommy said I made him broken.""
I closed my eyes.
Dr. Miller crouched beside her.
"Your brother is not broken. He's a little boy who needs care. You haven't done anything wrong.""
Lily looked at me, searching my face for confirmation.
I nodded.
"She's right, sweetheart.""
That afternoon, Detective Harris returned with an update.
Investigators were coordinating access to our home. Vanessa and Patricia had been instructed not to interfere with the process, and the hospital had documented their attempts to see the children.
Then my phone rang again.
Vanessa.
I stepped into the hallway to answer, with Detective Harris nearby.
"Daniel, where are you?""
"At the hospital.""
"I know that! Your mother-in-law's downstairs, and the police are asking questions. What have you told them?""
"The truth.""
She gave a bitter laugh.
"You don't even know what happened.""
"Then explain it.""
"You've been gone all day. You don't know what it's like taking care of two children. Lily lies when she's frightened.
Noah is difficult. I've been handling everything by myself.""
"Why did you tell Lily to claim she hurt her brother?""
"Because she was there!""
"Emily says Lily wasn't in the nursery when Noah was hurt.""
Silence.
Then Vanessa's voice sharpened.
"Emily? That lying little thief? She's the reason I had to let her go!""
"She says you threatened her.""
"She has no idea what she's talking about.""
"Then why are you so worried about what she saw?""
Vanessa inhaled sharply.
When she spoke again, her voice was almost pleading.
"Daniel, please. We have a family. We have a mortgage.
We have a life together. Are you really going to throw all of that away because of some videos taken out of context?""
I looked through the glass panel at Lily, who was sitting beside Noah's bed.
"I'm worried about our children, Vanessa.""
"They're my children too!""
"Then start acting like someone who wants to protect them.""
I ended the call.
Detective Harris had heard enough to understand that the conversation needed to be documented.
A few minutes later, my phone displayed a message from an unknown number.
It contained a photograph of an open box filled with old family pictures.
The box was sitting inside Lily's bedroom closet.
Beneath the photograph were seven words.
*She's home. She's looking for the second phone.*
I showed Detective Harris.
Her expression hardened.
"We need to notify the team handling the house.""
Before she could make the call, another message appeared.
This one contained no photograph.
Just a sentence.
*Daniel, if you want to know what really happened to Noah, ask your wife why she deleted the nursery camera footage.*
I stared at the screen.
Our nursery camera had been installed when Lily was born. I remembered checking it from construction sites to watch her sleep.
Vanessa had insisted we disconnect it after Noah arrived because the blinking light disturbed him.
I had never questioned her.
Now I wondered what she had been so desperate to keep me from seeing.
And then Detective Harris said something that changed the entire direction of the investigation.
"Mr. Carter, we may already know who deleted the footage.""
She turned her phone toward me.
A security photograph showed Patricia standing outside our house that morning.
May you like
In her hand was a small black device.
The same model as our nursery camera's memory hub.
