Chapter 3 - The Missing Minute.
The room fell silent after Grant spoke.
Chris looked at Elena as if he had never seen her before.
"Explain," he said.
Elena's jaw tightened.
Grant moved toward the fireplace with the calm confidence of a man who had already rehearsed the scene.
"Elena Ruiz worked in my office," he said.
"Years ago."
"For six months," Elena replied.
"Long enough to copy confidential files," Grant said.
"Long enough to see what you were doing," Elena answered.
Brooks raised a hand.
"One at a time."
Chris felt anger and fear mixing in his chest.
"Natalie knew Elena through you?"
Grant gave a small laugh.
"Natalie hired her after I fired her."
Elena turned toward Chris.
"Your wife asked me to help her understand several documents Grant had prepared."
"Without telling me?"
"She was trying to protect you."
"From my own brother?"
Elena's eyes softened.
"Yes."
Chris hated how quickly the answer came.
Grant opened his hands.
"This is absurd."
"Then why were you in the utility corridor with Vanessa before the camera went offline?" Brooks asked.
Grant looked genuinely surprised.
That frightened Chris more than a denial would have.
"I was not."
Brooks showed him the still image.
Grant studied it.
"That is not me."
"The ring is yours."
"The ring was mine."
"Your assistant says you wore it yesterday."
Grant looked at Chris.
"Are you really going to let a police officer build a theory around a ring?"
Chris answered quietly.
"I am going to let her build it around the fact that my daughter was thrown into a pool."
Grant's face hardened.
"Vanessa did something terrible."
"You introduced us."
"So now I am responsible for every person you date?"
"You were at my house last night."
"No, I was not."
Brooks took another document from her folder.
"Your vehicle passed the south gate camera at 7:41 p.m."
Grant looked at her.
"My driver had the car."
"He says he was home sick."
For the first time, Grant stopped looking comfortable.
Chris saw it.
So did Brooks.
A technician entered the library carrying a small plastic evidence bag.
Inside was a broken memory card.
"We found this behind the security cabinet," he said.
Brooks took the bag.
"Can you recover anything?"
"Maybe."
The technician glanced at Chris.
"Someone snapped it in half, but the chip is not completely destroyed."
Grant checked his watch.
"If you are done accusing me, I have clients waiting."
Brooks stepped in front of him.
"You are not under arrest."
Grant smiled.
"How generous."
"But I suggest you stay available."
Grant left without touching the folder he had brought.
Chris watched him cross the foyer.
Elena waited until the front door closed.
Then she reached into her apron pocket.
"There is something I did not tell you," she said.
Chris turned slowly.
"I am getting tired of hearing that sentence."
Elena removed her phone.
The screen was cracked near one corner.
"When Vanessa walked toward Lily, I thought they were arguing."
"About what?"
"Lily had told her she was not going to call her Mom after the wedding."
Chris shut his eyes for a moment.
Vanessa had complained about that conversation earlier in the week.
He had told her Lily would choose what felt comfortable.
Vanessa had called him weak.
Elena continued.
"I started recording because Vanessa was speaking harshly and I wanted you to hear it later."
Chris stared at the phone.
"You recorded the attack?"
"Part of it."
Brooks moved beside her.
Elena opened the video.
The first seconds showed the courtyard from inside the dining room.
Vanessa's voice was clear.
"Once your father marries me, things will change around here."
Lily's small voice answered.
"This is my mommy's house."
Vanessa stepped closer.
"Your mother is gone."
Chris gripped the edge of the table.
The video shook as Elena moved.
Lily said something too soft to hear.
Vanessa grabbed her arm.
Then the image froze.
The video ended.
"Why did it stop?" Brooks asked.
"My phone rang."
Elena looked ashamed.
"It interrupted the recording."
"Who called?"
Elena opened the call log.
There was an incoming call at 7:48 p.m.
The number was blocked.
Brooks wrote down the time.
"That is less than a minute before Lily went into the water."
Chris looked at Elena.
"Why would someone call you then?"
"I do not know."
"Could Grant have known you were recording?"
Elena hesitated.
"Maybe."
They made a digital copy for police.
Then Chris returned to the hospital.
Lily was awake and eating toast.
Her hair was tied into two uneven braids that Marisol had tried to fix.
She smiled when she saw him.
Chris nearly cried from relief.
"Can we go home?" she asked.
"Soon."
Lily looked toward the door.
"Is Vanessa going to be there?"
"No."
"Ever?"
"No."
Lily considered that.
Then she reached under her blanket and pulled out a tiny silver key on a faded blue ribbon.
Chris frowned.
"Where did you get that?"
"From my pocket."
"Was it there last night?"
Lily nodded.
"Vanessa put her hand in my pocket before she pushed me."
Chris stared at the key.
"She put this in your pocket?"
"No."
Lily shook her head.
"She was trying to take it out."
Chris felt every hair on his arms rise.
"Who gave you the key?"
Lily looked confused.
"Mommy did."
Chris could not speak.
Natalie had been dead for four years.
May you like
Lily lowered her voice.
"She told me in the music box message."
