Chapter 3 - THE SECOND PHONE
Daniel knew Claire had access to the alarm system.
He had never imagined she was using it to erase evidence.
He searched the bedroom while Lily sat downstairs with Officer Ramos and a child advocate.
Nothing looked unusual.
That was the frightening part.
Claire’s closet was perfect.
Her desk was clean.
Her drawers were organized.
Then Daniel noticed the vent cover behind her dresser was loose.
He removed two screws.
A black phone was taped inside.
No case.
No contacts.
No family photos.
Just folders.
The first was labeled BEHAVIOR.
The second was labeled D.
The third was labeled COURT.
Daniel opened BEHAVIOR.
His daughter appeared on the screen.
Dozens of clips.
Lily sitting alone at the table.
Lily crying in the laundry room.
Lily being ordered to apologize for things Daniel had never heard about.
He stopped after ten seconds.
His hands were shaking too badly.
The COURT folder was worse in a different way.
There were screenshots of custody articles.
Draft statements.
A list titled THINGS DANIEL DOES WRONG.
Works late.
Gets angry when tired.
Drinks beer on Fridays.
Leaves child with Claire.
Daniel stared at the last line.
It had been highlighted.
A message thread appeared under a fake contact name.
M: Keep documenting him.
C: He still trusts me.
M: Good. We only need him out of the way long enough.
Daniel’s pulse jumped.
He scrolled farther.
C: What about Lily?
M: Once the account transfers, she won’t matter.
Daniel read that sentence three times.
The account.
He suddenly remembered the education trust his father had created for Lily before he died.
He logged into the bank.
The balance should have been $184,000.
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It was $61,400.
And the most recent transfer had been made the morning Claire filmed Lily on the kitchen floor.
