Chapter 4 - The Person Behind Him
The person in the video was Daniel's older brother, Michael.
I had known Michael for six years.
He was charming when other people were watching.
Quiet when they weren't.
And unlike Richard, he had never openly complained about having a niece.
That had always made me trust him.
Now I wasn't sure what to believe.
Daniel stared at the screen.
"That's Michael."
The officer nodded.
"He was at the property?"
"Not today."
The officer paused the footage.
"According to him, he wasn't."
Daniel looked confused.
"Then why is he on camera?"
"We asked him."
"And?"
"He says he doesn't remember."
The same words.
My stomach turned.
"Everyone in this family suddenly can't remember anything."
The officer looked at me.
"That's why we're treating this carefully."
Michael was brought to the hospital later that night.
He walked into the waiting area with his hands raised slightly.
"I didn't do anything."
Daniel stood.
"I didn't accuse you."
Michael looked at me.
"I swear."
"Where were you today?" Daniel asked.
"At work."
"Until what time?"
"Five."
Daniel stared at him.
"The camera shows you at the house at 2:26."
Michael's expression changed.
"I stopped by."
"Why?"
"I forgot something."
"What?"
Michael hesitated.
"My laptop."
"You left your laptop at Mom and Dad's?"
"Yes."
Daniel stepped closer.
"Why didn't you tell us?"
Michael shrugged.
"I didn't think it mattered."
I watched him carefully.
"Did you see Dad?"
Michael looked at me.
"Yes."
"What was he doing?"
"Nothing."
"Michael."
He sighed.
"He was outside."
"Near the kennel?"
A pause.
"Yes."
Daniel's jaw tightened.
"What did you talk about?"
"Nothing important."
The officer interrupted.
"Then why did your father tell us you weren't there?"
Michael looked toward the floor.
"I don't know."
That answer again.
My daughter was fighting to recover in a hospital room while the people responsible kept saying they didn't know.
I couldn't accept it anymore.
"What did Richard tell you to do?"
Michael's head snapped toward me.
"I didn't do anything."
His reaction answered more than his words.
Daniel saw it too.
"Michael."
His brother swallowed.
"I only came because Dad called me."
"When?"
"Before lunch."
"What did he want?"
Michael looked at the officer.
Then at Daniel.
Finally he whispered:
"He wanted me to move something."
"What?"
"I don't know."
"Stop saying that."
Michael flinched.
"I swear."
The officer took out his phone.
"We recovered deleted messages from Michael's phone."
Michael's face went pale.
Daniel looked at him.
"What messages?"
The officer read one.
"Did you bring the old blanket?"
Michael closed his eyes.
Another message appeared.
"Make sure nobody sees you."
Daniel took a step backward.
"Who sent those?"
The officer looked at him.
"Your father."
Silence.
Michael finally broke.
"He said he wanted to scare you."
My blood ran cold.
"Scare who?"
"You."
"Why?"
Michael looked at me.
"He blamed you for ruining the family."
I felt sick.
"Because I had a daughter?"
Michael nodded.
"He said everything would have been different if you had given him a grandson."
Daniel's hands curled into fists.
"Where is Dad?"
The officer answered.
"At the house."
Daniel reached for his coat.
The officer stopped him.
"Don't go."
"That's my father."
"He's also a suspect."
Daniel froze.
The officer continued.
"There is something else you need to see."
He opened another file.
It was an audio recording.
Richard's voice came through the speaker.
Quiet.
Controlled.
Almost emotionless.
"If the camera shows anything, blame Daniel."
My heart stopped.
Then another voice answered.
Michael.
"What if the baby gets hurt?"
Richard's voice returned.
"Then nobody will believe you knew anything."
The recording ended.
Daniel stared at the floor.
His father had planned the lie.
But the officer wasn't finished.
"We recovered this recording from a hidden device inside the house."
"Where?" Daniel asked.
The officer looked at him.
"Your father's bedroom."
Then he added:
"But the recording was made three days ago."
I looked at Daniel.
Three days.
That meant this hadn't been an accident.
Someone had been planning something.
And suddenly my phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
One message.
"I know what your father-in-law did."
May you like
Then another message appeared.
"Your husband doesn't know the whole story."
