Chapter 5: The Missing Recording
The safe contained more than documents.
Inside were hard drives, old phones, bank records, and a stack of photographs.
Everything Daniel had hidden.
Everything he thought nobody would find.
Officer Reed placed the items onto the table one by one.
“This is enough to bury you.””
Daniel sat in handcuffs on the couch.
But he didn’t look defeated.
He looked patient.
Like he was waiting.
I noticed.
People who are caught usually panic.
Daniel was too calm.
“Where is Megan’s phone?”” I asked.
Daniel smiled slightly.
“What?””
“Her phone.””
Megan looked confused.
“I told you he destroyed it.””
I looked at Daniel.
“Did he?””
He said nothing.
Laura suddenly stepped forward.
“Wait.””
Everyone looked at her.
She pointed at the safe.
“There’s something missing.””
Reed frowned.
“What?””
“The main drive.””
Daniel’s smile disappeared.
Laura walked closer.
“I copied everything onto one drive.””
She looked at the empty space inside the safe.
“It’s gone.””
I turned toward Daniel.
“Where is it?””
Daniel leaned back.
“You’re asking the wrong person.””
“Who should I ask?””
He looked at the parrot.
The room became silent.
The bird was sitting on the curtain rod.
Watching everyone.
Megan stepped closer.
“Daniel trained him to repeat my words.””
She looked at the bird.
“But he also heard conversations when Daniel thought nobody was listening.””
I looked up.
“Can he tell us where the drive is?””
Daniel laughed.
“No.””
The parrot suddenly spoke.
“Bedroom.””
Daniel stopped laughing.
Everyone looked at him.
The bird continued.
“Behind the painting.””
I walked toward the bedroom.
Daniel shouted.
“Don’t!””
That was the first time he sounded afraid.
We moved the painting.
Behind it was a small compartment.
Inside was a flash drive.
Reed picked it up.
Daniel closed his eyes.
“You don’t understand.””
I turned around.
“Explain.””
Daniel looked at Megan.
Then Laura.
Then the bird.
“The drive doesn’t just contain my crimes.””
Nobody spoke.
“Then what does it contain?”” Reed asked.
Daniel looked at me.
“Proof that someone else was helping me.””
Megan’s face changed.
“Who?””
Daniel smiled.
A cold smile.
“The person you trust the most.””
Megan stepped back.
“No.””
Laura looked confused.
“Daniel, stop.””
But he continued.
“You think I did everything alone?””
The police radio suddenly crackled.
Another officer entered the room.
“Officer Carter?””
I turned.
“Yes?””
He looked uncomfortable.
“We need to talk.””
“What is it?””
He glanced at Daniel.
Then lowered his voice.
“We checked the 911 call.””
I frowned.
“And?””
“It wasn’t made from the basement.””
I looked at him.
“What?””
He handed me a printout.
“The call came from inside this house.””
“That’s what we expected.””
He shook his head.
“No.””
His expression changed.
“It came from a device registered to a police officer.””
The room went silent.
My fingers tightened around the paper.
“Which officer?””
He looked at the report.
Then at me.
“Officer Megan Carter.””
My blood froze.
Everyone looked at me.
Daniel smiled.
Megan looked confused.
Laura stepped back.
“That’s impossible.””
I stared at the paper.
My name.
My badge number.
My personal phone.
A 911 call I never made.
Daniel slowly stood.
“Now do you understand?””
Officer Reed looked at me.
“Megan?””
I couldn’t speak.
Because something suddenly made sense.
The bird had known my name.
The bird had warned me.
The bird had called me.
But why?
I looked toward the parrot.
The bird stared back.
Then it spoke.
Not in a woman’s voice.
Not in Daniel’s voice.
In my voice.
The exact same voice I used every day.
“Don’t trust anyone in this house.””
May you like
My heart stopped.
Because I had never said those words before.
