Chapter 5 - The Tool Kit.
Ryan sat at Mark's kitchen table with the hardware receipt between them.
Nobody raised their voice.
That made the room more uncomfortable.
Emily held Sophie in her arms.
Mark stood by the sink.
Ryan stared at the receipt like he wanted it to disappear.
"I bought the screwdrivers for Mom's folding table."
Emily nodded.
"I remember the table."
"The leg was loose."
"I remember that too."
Ryan looked at Mark.
"So what?"
Mark placed the broken metal tip inside its clear bag on the table.
"One of these break today?"
Ryan leaned closer.
His face lost color.
"I don't know."
"You bought a set."
"I used one screwdriver."
"Where is the set now?"
"Mom's garage."
Mark nodded once.
"Convenient."
Ryan stood.
"I'm done with this."
Emily's voice stopped him.
"Sit down."
He turned.
For a second, she saw anger in his face.
Then it vanished beneath something gentler.
"Em, please."
"Sit."
He sat.
Emily shifted Sophie against her shoulder.
"Did you touch the stroller today?"
"Yes."
The answer surprised her.
"When?"
"Before everyone arrived."
"Why?"
"I moved it out of the sun."
"Did you touch the brake?"
"Probably."
Mark frowned.
"Probably?"
Ryan looked at him.
"You release the brake when you move a stroller."
Emily felt her heartbeat in her throat.
"Did you lock it again?"
Ryan looked at her.
"I thought I did."
There it was.
A perfect explanation.
Simple.
Human.
Possible.
For one weak second, Emily wanted to accept it.
Then she remembered locking the stroller herself after Ryan had moved it.
"That was before lunch."
Ryan blinked.
"What?"
"You moved it before lunch."
"Yeah."
"I locked the brake after I fed Sophie at three-thirty."
Ryan looked down.
"Maybe you thought you did."
Emily closed her eyes.
The sentence was becoming a weapon.
Maybe you thought you did.
Maybe you're tired.
Maybe you're emotional.
Maybe your memory cannot be trusted.
She opened her eyes.
"What happened to the patio camera?"
Ryan shrugged.
"No idea."
"Someone unplugged it."
"Okay."
"At 3:45."
Ryan looked up too quickly.
Emily continued.
"Nora's camera caught someone doing it."
Ryan stared at her.
"Can you see who?"
The question was immediate.
Not, are you sure?
Not, why would someone do that?
Can you see who?
Mark heard it too.
"Why do you care whether we can identify them?"
Ryan pushed back from the table.
"Because you're accusing my family."
Emily shook her head.
"I haven't accused anyone."
"You keep saying that while laying evidence on tables."
"Because there is evidence."
Ryan stood again.
This time Emily let him.
"I love Sophie."
"I know."
"I would never let anything happen to her."
Emily looked at him for a long moment.
"Then help me figure out why somebody sent me this."
She turned her phone around and showed him the anonymous messages.
Ryan read them.
His expression changed so fast Emily almost missed it.
Shock came first.
Then fear.
Then recognition.
"You know that number."
"No."
"You reacted."
"Because it's creepy."
"You know something."
"I don't."
Mark stepped away from the sink.
"Who has access to your mother's garage?"
Ryan looked toward the door.
"Everybody in the family."
"Who knew about the fire pit?"
"Everybody."
"Who knew Emily had locked the stroller?"
"I don't know."
Mark's voice sharpened.
"Who knew the patio camera wasn't working?"
Ryan said nothing.
Emily's chest tightened.
"Ryan?"
He rubbed both hands over his face.
"Mom wanted it unplugged."
The kitchen went silent.
"Why?"
"She said she didn't want it recording guests."
Emily stared at him.
"She told me it glitched."
"Maybe she didn't want to explain."
"When did she ask you to unplug it?"
Ryan looked trapped.
"This morning."
Mark pointed at the monitor still open on his laptop.
"It was connected until 3:45."
Ryan looked at the screen.
His mouth tightened.
Emily whispered.
"So she didn't ask you this morning."
"I didn't say I unplugged it."
"Then who did?"
"I don't know."
Sophie stirred in Emily's arms.
Emily lowered her voice.
"Go home, Ryan."
He looked at her.
"Emily—"
"Go."
He left without another word.
Mark watched through the front window until Ryan's car disappeared.
Then he returned to the table.
"I want to see the screwdriver set."
Emily nodded.
"So do I."
They did not get the chance.
At 11:17 that night, Patricia called Mark.
Her garage had been broken into.
Nothing expensive was missing.
May you like
Only one thing was gone.
The red plastic tool case Ryan had purchased that morning.
