Chapter 6: What the Cameras Captured at Midnight
The key opened a small metal cabinet beneath the main security console.
Inside was an older recording device Curtis had installed before upgrading the warehouse surveillance system.
He had almost forgotten it existed.
Peter examined the device.
“This is separate from the cloud system.””
“Can we access it?”” Curtis asked.
“Possibly. Give me a few minutes.””
Margaret stood beside the office door, reading the handwritten note again.
“Who do you think left this?””
Curtis shook his head.
“I don't know.””
“Could it have been Robert?””
Curtis looked toward the warehouse manager.
Robert was standing near the loading bay, speaking with an employee.
“Maybe.””
Peter connected the device to his laptop.
A list of archived recordings appeared.
Most were labeled by date.
One was labeled:
*TUESDAY — 11:48 P.M.*
Curtis looked at the timestamp.
“Why would anyone be here that late?””
Peter clicked the file.
The screen flickered.
A grainy image appeared.
The camera showed the warehouse loading area.
At first, nothing moved.
Then the side entrance opened.
Daniel walked inside.
He was carrying a black briefcase.
Curtis leaned closer.
Daniel looked around before closing the door.
A minute later, Renée appeared from the administrative hallway.
She was wearing a long coat and carrying a folder.
Curtis's jaw tightened.
Peter increased the volume.
The recording had no sound.
“Is there another camera angle?”” Curtis asked.
Peter checked.
“There are three.””
He opened the second recording.
This one showed the main office.
Daniel placed his briefcase on the desk.
Renée handed him several documents.
He looked through them, then pointed toward the computer.
She nodded.
They sat down together.
Curtis watched Renée type.
Then Daniel pulled a small flash drive from his pocket.
He inserted it into the computer.
A file transfer window appeared.
Peter paused the footage.
“Can you zoom in?””
He enlarged the image.
The folder name became visible.
*OWNERSHIP_TRANSFER_FINAL.*
Curtis stared.
“Can we recover the files?””
“Not from this recording. But I can check the computer's access logs.””
Peter opened another window.
A list of file names appeared.
The first was a corporate ownership agreement.
The second was a banking authorization form.
The third was a document titled:
*CONTINGENCY PLAN — CURTIS MORGAN.*
Curtis felt a cold pressure in his chest.
“Open it.””
Peter clicked.
The file was password-protected.
“Can you unlock it?””
“I'll need to make a forensic copy first.””
Curtis nodded.
The recording continued.
Daniel leaned toward Renée.
She pointed at something on the screen.
Then he handed her another document.
She signed it.
Peter zoomed in again.
The signature was clearly visible.
Renée Morgan.
Curtis looked away.
He had seen that signature on countless household documents.
School forms.
Insurance paperwork.
Vacation reservations.
Now it was appearing on documents connected to the possible transfer of his company.
The next recording showed Daniel leaving at 12:17 a.m.
Renée remained inside.
She walked to the warehouse floor, stopped beside the packing table, and looked toward the security camera.
Then she raised her phone.
She appeared to take a photograph of it.
Curtis frowned.
“Why would she photograph the camera?””
Peter checked the timestamp.
“Maybe she was documenting the system.””
Margaret shook her head.
“Or checking whether it was recording.””
Curtis stared at the screen.
Renée walked toward the office.
Then she disappeared.
The recording ended.
For several seconds, nobody spoke.
Finally, Curtis asked, “Can we recover the deleted camera footage?””
Peter nodded.
“Possibly. The device appears to have retained some files that weren't synchronized to the cloud.””
He opened the next archive.
A second recording appeared.
This one was from the previous Friday.
Isaiah was visible at the packing table.
He was sorting boxes.
Renée walked in.
She placed a clipboard in front of him.
Isaiah shook his head.
She pointed toward the document.
He shook his head again.
Then Renée leaned down and said something.
Isaiah looked toward the office door.
A moment later, he signed.
Curtis's hands curled into fists.
Peter paused the recording.
Margaret looked at Curtis.
“Don't do anything yet.””
Curtis stared at the frozen image.
“My son was afraid.””
“I know.””
“He was fifteen.””
“I know.””
Curtis forced himself to breathe.
“Keep going.””
Peter resumed the recording.
Renée collected the clipboard.
Then she pointed toward a stack of boxes.
Isaiah began packing again.
Curtis looked at the clock in the recording.
It was 6:38 p.m.
The warehouse should have been closed.
“Why was he here that late?””
Robert stepped into the office.
“I can explain that.””
Curtis turned.
“What?””
Robert looked uncomfortable.
“Renée told me Isaiah wanted extra hours.””
Curtis stared.
“Did he?””
“I didn't know.””
“Did you see him working?””
Robert nodded.
“Sometimes.””
“And you didn't tell me?””
Robert lowered his head.
“She told me you had approved it.””
Curtis stepped closer.
“Robert, did you know he was fifteen?””
“Yes.””
“Did you think that was appropriate?””
Robert looked down.
“I thought you had agreed to it.””
Curtis took a slow breath.
“From now on, nobody touches a single record in this building without Margaret or Peter present. Understood?””
Robert nodded.
“Yes.””
Margaret stepped forward.
“Robert, I need you to write down everything you remember about the instructions you received from Renée and Daniel. Don't discuss it with either of them.””
Robert nodded again.
He left.
Peter returned to the recordings.
He opened a file from Thursday morning.
The camera showed Renée standing beside the office computer.
She was on the phone.
Then Daniel entered.
They spoke for several minutes.
At one point, Daniel handed her a document.
She looked at it and laughed.
Curtis leaned closer.
“Can we get audio?””
Peter shook his head.
“Not from this camera.””
He opened another angle.
This one showed the side office, where an older microphone had been installed for security testing.
Peter checked the audio file.
A faint recording played.
Daniel's voice came through first.
“Once the transfer is done, Curtis won't be able to stop it.””
Renée replied, “What about the boy?””
Daniel laughed.
“He'll say whatever we tell him to say.””
Curtis stopped moving.
Renée's voice continued.
“He's getting suspicious.””
“Then keep him busy. That's what the warehouse is for.””
Curtis stared at the screen.
Daniel spoke again.
“And make sure he signs the remaining forms before you leave.””
Renée replied, “He will.””
The recording ended.
Curtis slowly turned toward Margaret.
“Tell me we can use that.””
Margaret's expression was serious.
“We can preserve it and have it reviewed. We need to establish authenticity and context.””
Curtis nodded.
“Do it.””
Peter opened another file.
This one was an audio recording from Tuesday night.
The timestamp was 12:04 a.m.
Daniel's voice was unmistakable.
“Did you move the money?””
Renée answered, “Not all of it.””
“How much is left?””
“About sixty thousand.””
“Move it before Friday.””
“What if Curtis checks?””
“He won't. He's too busy worrying about the business.””
Renée laughed.
Then she said something that made Curtis's blood run cold.
“What about Isaiah? He saw the payment screen.””
Daniel answered without hesitation.
“Then make sure he believes it's his fault.””
Curtis gripped the edge of the desk.
Margaret reached toward him.
“Curtis.””
He didn't look at her.
The recording continued.
Renée asked, “And if he tells his father?””
Daniel paused.
Then he replied:
“By then, we'll have the company, and Curtis will have bigger problems.””
Peter stopped the recording.
The office was silent.
Curtis stared at the laptop.
His wife had used his son as unpaid labor.
She had used his identity to create false employment records.
She had apparently diverted money through accounts connected to the business.
And Daniel had been helping her prepare to take control of the company.
But the worst part wasn't the money.
It was the way they had discussed Isaiah.
As if he were a tool.
As if his fear were useful.
As if his father would never discover what was happening.
Curtis looked at Margaret.
“I want them both removed from the business.””
“We can take immediate protective steps within your authority, but we need to preserve the evidence and review the governing documents.””
“Then let's do it.””
Margaret nodded.
Peter began copying the recordings.
A few minutes later, Curtis's phone rang.
Renée.
He stared at her name.
Margaret raised one hand.
“Don't answer yet.””
The call stopped.
A text arrived.
Curtis, why have you frozen the warehouse payments? Daniel says you're causing unnecessary problems.
Curtis read it silently.
Another message followed.
The children and I are coming home tomorrow. We need to discuss Isaiah's attitude.
Curtis's eyes narrowed.
He typed a reply.
Isaiah is fine. We have everything under control.
He sent it.
Renée responded almost immediately.
Good. Make sure he doesn't touch the office computer. He has no idea what he's doing.
Curtis looked at Margaret.
“She still thinks I don't know.””
Margaret nodded.
“That's useful.””
Then Peter spoke.
“Curtis, there's one more recording.””
He opened a file from the same night.
The camera showed Daniel standing alone in the second office.
He placed a document on the desk.
Then he took out his phone and called someone.
The audio was faint, but the microphone captured several words.
“It's almost done,” Daniel said.
A pause.
Then:
“No, Renée doesn't know about the other agreement.””
Curtis leaned forward.
Daniel continued.
“Once Curtis signs the final release, the company will be mine.””
Peter paused the recording.
Curtis stared at him.
“Final release?””
Peter opened the file attached to the video.
It was a scanned document.
The heading read:
*PERSONAL GUARANTEE AND FULL RELEASE OF LIABILITY.*
Curtis read the first paragraph.
Then he stopped.
The document claimed that Curtis had personally guaranteed the company's outstanding debts.
It also stated that he accepted full responsibility for all unauthorized transactions.
At the bottom was a signature line.
His name was already printed.
Beside it was a blank space.
Curtis looked at the date.
Tomorrow.
The day Renée was scheduled to return from Florida.
Margaret's face tightened.
“They were planning to make you sign this.””
Curtis slowly closed the document.
Then his phone rang again.
This time, it was Isaiah.
He answered immediately.
“Hey, buddy.””
His son's voice was trembling.
“Dad, I'm sorry.””
Curtis stood.
“What's wrong?””
“I think Renée knows.””
Curtis felt his stomach drop.
“What happened?””
Isaiah whispered:
“She just called Aunt Elaine.””
A pause.
May you like
Then his son said something that made Curtis reach for his keys.
“She told her to bring me to the airport tomorrow because she wants to take me away before you get home.””
