Chapter 3: The Person Who Controlled the Cameras
Marcus stared at her.
"You?""
Vanessa nodded, but her expression had lost its earlier confidence.
"I manage the security settings.""
"Since when?""
"Since you asked me to help organize the house.""
"I asked you to manage the household schedule. Not control the security system.""
"You gave me access.""
"Access isn't the same as ownership.""
Vanessa folded her arms again.
"Marcus, you're making this sound sinister.""
He held up his phone.
"Then explain the administrator restriction.""
"It's a standard security setting.""
"Why can't I view my own foyer recording?""
"You can. You just need the correct account.""
"Then give me the account.""
Vanessa hesitated.
The silence stretched.
From the sofa, his son watched her carefully.
Marcus noticed the boy's hands trembling.
He lowered his voice.
"Son, are you cold?""
"No.""
"Do you want some water?""
The boy nodded.
Marcus pointed toward the kitchen.
"There's a bottle in the refrigerator. Stay where I can see you.""
The boy walked away slowly.
Vanessa followed him with her eyes.
When he disappeared through the kitchen doorway, she turned back toward Marcus.
"Can we talk privately?""
"We are talking privately.""
"Not with him listening.""
"Why?""
"Because he's already emotional. He doesn't need to hear grown-up conversations.""
Marcus glanced toward the kitchen.
"He heard you call him a thief. He heard you say he was lying. He heard you defend hitting him.""
Vanessa's cheeks reddened.
"I was trying to protect this family.""
"From what?""
She opened her mouth.
Then closed it.
Marcus took a slow breath.
"Show me the administrator account.""
Vanessa reached into her handbag.
She removed a small tablet and unlocked it.
Her fingers moved quickly across the screen.
"Here. See? Everything is working.""
She turned the tablet toward him.
A security dashboard appeared.
Marcus recognized the house layout, the camera names, and the recording schedule.
But one thing caught his attention.
The foyer camera's recording history showed a gap.
A short section of time was missing.
He leaned closer.
"What happened here?""
Vanessa immediately pulled the tablet back.
"Nothing.""
"There's a gap.""
"Routine maintenance.""
"When?""
"Earlier.""
"How much earlier?""
"I don't remember.""
Marcus looked at the screen.
The missing interval overlapped with the period when his son said the money had appeared.
He looked at Vanessa.
"Can you restore it?""
"Probably not.""
"Why?""
"Because it wasn't saved.""
"Was it deleted?""
She looked offended.
"Are you accusing me of deleting footage?""
"I'm asking a question.""
"Well, I don't appreciate being interrogated in my own home.""
Marcus's eyes narrowed.
"Your own home?""
Vanessa seemed to realize what she had said.
"I mean the home I've helped you maintain.""
Marcus didn't move.
"Give me the tablet.""
She held it against her chest.
"Why?""
"Because I want to examine the settings.""
"You don't understand this system.""
"Then explain it.""
"It's complicated.""
"Vanessa.""
She sighed dramatically.
"Fine. But don't change anything. You could erase the entire recording history.""
Marcus held out his hand.
She reluctantly passed him the tablet.
He examined the dashboard.
Several camera feeds were listed as active.
The foyer camera.
The living room camera.
The kitchen camera.
The garage camera.
But the administrator panel showed that one user had recently changed the recording permissions.
The name displayed was Vanessa's.
Marcus didn't comment.
He simply took out his own phone and photographed the screen.
Vanessa immediately stepped closer.
"Why are you taking pictures?""
"Keeping a record.""
"Of what?""
"Something I may need later.""
Her expression hardened.
"You're really going to do this?""
Marcus looked up.
"Do what?""
"Treat me like a criminal because your son told you a story?""
"He told me something. You told me something else. I'm checking.""
"You should trust the people who have been loyal to you.""
"Trust isn't a replacement for evidence.""
Vanessa shook her head.
"You're going to destroy this family over a misunderstanding.""
Marcus placed the tablet on the table.
"A misunderstanding doesn't explain why you tried to stop me from pressing PLAY.""
She looked away.
For several seconds, neither spoke.
Then his son returned with a bottle of water.
He stopped when he saw the tablet on the table.
"Is everything okay, Dad?""
Marcus crouched slightly.
"We're checking the cameras.""
The boy looked toward Vanessa.
She immediately gave him a cold stare.
"There's no need to look so pleased with yourself.""
The boy lowered his eyes.
Marcus stood up.
"Don't speak to him like that.""
"I didn't say anything wrong.""
"You don't get to intimidate him.""
Vanessa threw up her hands.
"Fine. Believe whatever you want.""
Marcus returned his attention to the tablet.
"Who else has administrator access?""
Vanessa shook her head.
"Nobody.""
"Are you sure?""
"Yes.""
He tapped the account history.
A second username appeared beneath hers.
Marcus stopped scrolling.
The account had accessed the system earlier that afternoon.
He read the name twice.
Then he looked toward Vanessa.
"Who is Daniel?""
Her face went pale.
"Why are you asking me that?""
"Because his account accessed the foyer camera.""
"Daniel is a technician.""
"Why would a technician have administrator access?""
"He installed the system.""
"That was three years ago.""
Vanessa said nothing.
Marcus looked back at the tablet.
The access history showed another entry.
A change had been made to the foyer camera's recording schedule.
Then another entry appeared.
A permission had been altered.
Marcus tapped the details.
The tablet requested a verification code.
He looked at Vanessa.
"Where does the code go?""
"To the administrator's phone.""
"Yours?""
She nodded reluctantly.
"Then enter it.""
Vanessa didn't move.
"Marcus, this is getting out of hand.""
"Enter the code.""
"Can we do this tomorrow?""
"No.""
She stepped backward.
"You don't understand what you're about to uncover.""
Marcus froze.
His eyes lifted from the tablet.
"What did you just say?""
Vanessa's lips parted.
She looked at the security dashboard, then at the foyer camera.
For the first time, Marcus noticed something different in her expression.
It wasn't anger.
It was fear.
And before he could ask another question, the tablet vibrated.
May you like
A new security notification appeared.
*REMOTE USER REQUESTING ACCESS TO FOYER CAMERA.*
