Chapter 2 - THE WOMAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCHThe police arrived twenty minutes later.
Juliette was taken into custody for questioning.
Christopher stayed beside Emma.
He refused to leave her.
But the situation quickly became more complicated.
The detective assigned to the case, Daniel Reed, listened to the recording twice.
Then he looked at Christopher.
“This is serious.”
“I know.”
“But I need more than this.”
Christopher frowned.
“You have her voice admitting she wanted the trust money.”
“That helps.”
“Helps?”
Detective Reed leaned forward.
“But the recording doesn't actually capture her pushing Emma.”
Christopher's expression darkened.
“She admitted everything.”
“She admitted wanting Emma out of the way. That's important. But legally, we need to establish what happened at the pool.”
Christopher nodded.
“Then find the cameras.”
“We checked.”
“And?”
“The exterior security system went offline twelve minutes before the incident.”
Christopher stared at him.
“What?”
“Someone disabled it.”
A cold feeling moved through Christopher.
Juliette hadn't simply attacked Emma.
She had prepared for it.
But why?
Detective Reed continued.
“We also found something else.”
He placed a photograph on the table.
It showed a man standing outside the estate.
Christopher recognized him immediately.
His blood ran cold.
“That's Victor.”
“Who?”
“My wife's brother.”
Detective Reed nodded.
“Your security team says he hasn't been allowed on the property in months.”
“He hasn't.”
“Yet he was here this morning.”
Christopher studied the photograph.
“Where is he now?”
“We don't know.”
Emma stirred on the sofa.
Christopher immediately turned.
She opened her eyes.
“Daddy?”
“I'm here.”
She reached for him.
Christopher sat beside her.
“Did you see Uncle Victor today?”
Emma nodded slowly.
“He talked to Juliette.”
“What did he say?”
Emma looked frightened.
“He told her… tonight was the last chance.”
Christopher's heart sank.
“Last chance for what?”
Emma shook her head.
“I don't know.”
Christopher looked at Detective Reed.
“We need to find him.”
Before Reed could answer, Christopher's phone rang.
It was his attorney.
“Christopher,” the attorney said, “you need to come to the office immediately.”
“Why?”
“Someone has filed an emergency petition regarding Emma's trust.”
Christopher stood.
“Who?”
There was a pause.
“Juliette.”
Christopher's blood ran cold.
“She can't access the trust.”
“She isn't requesting access.”
“What is she requesting?”
“Temporary guardianship.”
Christopher's expression hardened.
“She wants custody of Emma?”
“More specifically, she's claiming you're emotionally unstable and that the pool incident was caused by your negligence.”
Christopher almost laughed.
“She pushed my daughter into the pool.”
“I know.”
“Then how can she possibly—”
“Because someone submitted evidence.”
Christopher stopped.
“What evidence?”
“Security footage.”
Silence.
Christopher's eyes narrowed.
“There is no security footage.”
“Apparently there is.”
His attorney lowered his voice.
“And it appears to show you arguing with Emma shortly before she fell into the pool.”
Christopher felt his stomach drop.
“That footage is fake.”
“Then prove it.”
The call ended.
Christopher looked at Detective Reed.
“Someone is framing me.”
Reed nodded.
“Looks that way.”
Then Emma spoke.
“Daddy?”
Christopher turned.
Emma was staring at the hallway.
“There was another camera.”
“What?”
She pointed toward the ceiling.
“Mommy showed it to me.”
Christopher followed her finger.
Nothing.
But Emma continued.
“It was hidden inside the light.”
Christopher immediately called Marcus.
“Search every light fixture in this house.”
Within minutes, Marcus found it.
A tiny camera.
Still recording.
Christopher's breathing stopped.
“Can you retrieve the footage?”
Marcus nodded.
“I'm trying.”
The screen appeared.
The footage showed the pool.
Christopher watched.
Juliette walked toward Emma.
She bent down.
She appeared to say something.
Emma backed away.
Juliette grabbed her arm.
Then—
The video cut to black.
Christopher's eyes narrowed.
“Why did it stop?”
Marcus examined the file.
“Someone deleted the middle section.”
Detective Reed looked at him.
“But we might recover it.”
Christopher nodded.
“Do it.”
Hours passed.
Finally, Marcus returned.
“We recovered part of it.”
He connected the drive.
The footage appeared.
Juliette grabbed Emma.
Emma struggled.
Then Juliette shoved her.
Christopher watched his daughter disappear beneath the water.
His face became completely still.
But there was something else.
Behind Juliette stood Victor.
He wasn't surprised.
He was watching.
Then he looked directly at the hidden camera.
And smiled.
Christopher froze.
Victor knew they were being recorded.
He had allowed the camera to capture the crime.
Why?
Then the footage continued for three seconds.
Victor pulled something from his pocket.
A small envelope.
He handed it to Juliette.
Juliette opened it.
Her expression changed.
Fear.
Real fear.
Then the footage ended.
Christopher stared at the frozen image.
“What was in that envelope?”
Nobody answered.
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
Christopher answered.
A man's voice whispered:
“You're looking for the wrong enemy.”
Christopher's blood ran cold.
“Who is this?”
“You think Juliette is the mastermind.”
“Where are you?”
The man laughed softly.
“She isn't.”
Then the call ended.
Christopher stared at the phone.
Emma suddenly began crying.
Christopher turned toward her.
“What happened?”
She whispered:
“Daddy…”
“Yes?”
“Mommy wasn't the one who told me to go outside.”
Christopher froze.
“Who did?”
May you like
Emma pointed toward the upstairs hallway.
“The man who looks like you.”
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