Chapter 2
Nobody moved while the video loaded.
Not Mr. Harrison.
Not Vanessa.
Not me.
Even little Emma stopped crying for a few seconds, like the room itself had told her to hold her breath.
The tablet screen flickered.
Then the office appeared.
Empty.
Bright.
Quiet.
The timestamp showed 11:42 a.m.
I remembered that time clearly.
I had been upstairs changing Emma’s bedsheets because Vanessa said she spilled juice.
On the screen, the office door opened.
Someone stepped inside.
The person wore a dark hoodie.
Face hidden.
Gloves on.
Mr. Harrison leaned closer.
“What is this?”
Caleb whispered, “Keep watching.”
The hooded person walked directly to the desk.
Not searching.
Not confused.
They knew exactly where the drawer was.
They opened it with a small key.
Mr. Harrison’s face tightened.
“That’s my locked drawer.”
The person removed a thick envelope.
Then turned toward the camera.
For one second, the hood slipped back.
Emma began sobbing again.
I saw the face.
So did everyone.
Not Vanessa.
Not me.
A man.
Young.
Sharp jaw.
Blond hair.
Vanessa’s brother.
Derek.
Mr. Harrison took the tablet from Caleb’s hand.
His voice was low.
“Why does Derek have my spare key?”
Vanessa’s mouth opened.
No answer came.
I stepped back, one hand on my burning cheek.
Derek had visited that morning.
Vanessa had told me he was only dropping off documents.
She had asked me to clean the office after he left.
Now I understood.
Not after.
Before anyone noticed.
Mr. Harrison turned slowly toward his wife.
“Vanessa.”
She lifted her chin.
“I don’t know why Derek would do that.”
Caleb said, “Mom gave him the key.”
Vanessa spun toward him.
“Caleb!”
He flinched.
Emma grabbed his sleeve.
Mr. Harrison’s face changed when he saw his son flinch.
It was small.
But not small enough.
“Caleb,” he said carefully, “what did you see?”
Caleb looked at me.
Then at his father.
“Mom told Derek the money was in your office. She said Maria would get blamed because she cleaned there.”
Vanessa lunged toward him.
Mr. Harrison stepped in front of his children.
“Do not touch him.”
His voice was different now.
Not angry at me.
Angry at the right person.
Vanessa’s eyes filled with instant tears.
“Ryan, they are children. They misunderstand.”
Emma cried harder.
“No, Mommy. You said Maria was easy.”
The room went still.
Easy.
That word cut me deeper than the slap.
Easy to accuse.
Easy to blame.
Easy to hurt.
Mr. Harrison looked at his daughter.
“What else did she say?”
Emma shook her head and hid behind Caleb.
Vanessa whispered, “Please don’t do this.”
But she was not looking at me.
May you like
She was looking at the tablet.
The evidence.
