Chapter 5 - THE CHILD WHO HEARD TOO MUCH
Emma was drawing in the staff lounge when she heard Julian’s voice
outside.
She recognized him from the night of the emergency. He had smiled at her
once, but his eyes had looked different from his smile.
Sofia had told her not to wander.
Emma stayed in her chair.
The door was slightly open, and Julian was speaking to another man near
the service corridor.
“You said the camera was disabled,” Julian whispered.
“The system was changed,” the other man replied. “I didn’t know there
was a separate lens.”
“Who has the footage?”
“Bell. Maybe the police.”
Julian swore quietly.
“Then we need the storage module before they make copies.”
Emma stopped drawing.
She knew she should find her mother, but she was afraid Julian would see
her.
The second man spoke again.
“And the little girl?”
Julian lowered his voice.
“She is a child. She won’t understand what she saw.”
“She used the injector.”
“Then keep her mother quiet. Sofia has a contract. Remind her what
happens if she breaks it.”
Emma’s pencil fell to the floor.
The men went silent.
Julian turned toward the door.
Emma ducked beneath the table.
Footsteps approached. The door opened wider.
“Anyone in here?”
No answer.
After a moment, the footsteps moved away.
Emma waited until the corridor was quiet, then crawled out and ran to
find her mother.
Sofia was in the laundry room sorting towels.
“Mommy, the bad lawyer wants the camera.”
Sofia turned.
“What did you hear?”
Emma repeated the words as best she could.
Sofia’s face drained of color.
“Did he see you?”
“I don’t think so.”
Sofia gathered her daughter into her arms.
“We’re going to tell Mr. Bell.”
Before she could move, her phone buzzed.
A message from the estate manager appeared.
Effective immediately, your employment is suspended pending an internal
review. Please remain in the staff apartment until further notice.
Sofia stared at the screen.
A second message followed.
Failure to comply may result in termination of your housing arrangement.
Emma looked up.
“Are we in trouble?”
“No, sweetheart.”
But Sofia’s voice was unsteady.
She called Marcus and told him what Emma had overheard. He arrived
within minutes and arranged for them to be moved to a secure guest
suite.
“Mr. Moretti asked that you be protected,” he said. “No one is
dismissing you.”
Sofia shook her head. “Julian can ruin us. He knows everyone in the
company.”
“Not everyone.”
Marcus contacted Naomi and the detective. Emma’s statement was recorded
with Sofia present, using age-appropriate questions and without
pressure.
The detective explained that the conversation could support the
investigation, but they would need independent evidence.
Marcus returned to the study and found that the storage module had been
disturbed.
Someone had tried to remove it.
The attempt had failed, but the casing was damaged.
May you like
Julian was no longer simply trying to protect his secret.
He was trying to erase it.
