Chapter 1 - The Blinking Red Light
Marcus stared toward the hedge.
For several seconds, he did not understand what Elena was trying to show him.
Then he saw it.
A tiny red light blinked behind the leaves.
Once.
Twice.
Again.
His expression changed.
Victoria noticed it too.
The fake tears on her face seemed to freeze.
Marcus slowly stepped away from her.
“There’s a camera?”
Victoria immediately recovered.
“So what?”
Her voice came out too quickly.
“That camera probably doesn’t even work.”
Elena remained on the wet stone patio.
Blood touched the corner of her mouth where Marcus had struck her.
Her soaked uniform clung to her shoulders.
She looked exhausted.
But her eyes never left Marcus.
“It works.”
Marcus turned toward her.
Elena swallowed painfully.
“Mr. Hale installed it after someone kept entering the pool area at night.”
Marcus felt his stomach tighten.
Mr. Hale was the previous owner of the estate.
Marcus had purchased the property eight months earlier.
The security system had been upgraded, but several older outdoor cameras had remained connected to a separate backup recorder.
He had completely forgotten about them.
Victoria grabbed his arm.
“Marcus, look at your son.”
The baby was wrapped in a towel in the arms of the housekeeper, Rosa.
He was coughing softly but breathing.
A paramedic was already on the way.
Victoria tightened her fingers around Marcus’s sleeve.
“Elena almost killed him.”
Marcus looked at Elena again.
Less than two minutes earlier, he had believed exactly that.
He had come running through the glass doors after hearing screaming.
He had seen the stroller floating sideways in the swimming pool.
He had seen Elena climbing from the water with his baby pressed against her chest.
And he had heard Victoria screaming that Elena had pushed the stroller.
He had reacted before asking a single question.
The memory of his hand striking Elena now burned inside him.
Victoria noticed his hesitation.
“She’s manipulating you.”
Marcus said nothing.
Victoria stepped between him and the hedge.
“Your baby nearly drowned.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you staring at a camera?”
Marcus’s eyes hardened.
“Because if it recorded what happened, we don’t have to argue about it.”
Victoria’s face lost a little color.
“Marcus.”
He moved past her.
She caught his wrist.
“The ambulance is coming.”
“And?”
“We should go to the hospital.”
“We will.”
He pulled his hand free.
“But first, I want five minutes.”
Victoria shook her head.
“No.”
That single word made everyone on the patio look at her.
Marcus turned.
“What did you say?”
Victoria forced a nervous laugh.
“I mean this is ridiculous.”
She pointed toward Elena.
“She’s lying on the ground acting like a victim while your son could have died.”
Elena slowly pushed herself upright.
“I never pushed him.”
Victoria spun toward her.
“Shut up.”
Marcus’s head turned sharply.
Victoria realized her mistake.
Her expression softened again.
“I’m sorry.”
She touched Marcus’s chest.
“I’m terrified.”
Marcus looked down at her hand.
Then toward the blinking camera.
A terrible possibility entered his mind.
He did not want to believe it.
Not yet.
He called the estate’s security manager.
“David.”
A voice answered immediately.
“Yes, sir?”
“Can you access the old pool camera?”
There was a pause.
“The legacy camera near the north hedge?”
“Yes.”
“I believe so.”
Marcus watched Victoria.
Her breathing had changed.
“Pull the last thirty minutes.”
Another pause.
“Right now?”
“Right now.”
Victoria stepped backward.
Marcus noticed.
So did Elena.
And for the first time since Marcus had arrived at the pool, fear appeared on Victoria’s face.
Not sadness.
Not panic for the child.
Fear.
Marcus lowered his phone.
“Let’s see what really happened.”
Victoria stared at him.
Then she looked toward the side gate.
Elena saw it before Marcus did.
“She’s going to run.”
May you like
Victoria suddenly turned.
And sprinted.
