Chapter 7 - The Recording
The fire was small. A neighbor saw smoke from Mr. Ellis's garage and called it in before flames reached the house. But its meaning was enormous: somebody knew he'd helped Emma.
"Stay here," Ortiz told him. "You are a witness, and you're under protection now."
Mr. Ellis put the key in Claire's hand anyway. "Your mother trusted you more than anybody. Maybe she knew a day like this would come."
At 9:31, a blocked number called Theo's phone. He handed it to Claire. Ortiz silently switched on a recorder.
"Hello, little sister," Vanessa said.
Claire's throat tightened. "I heard Emma cry after she fell. For six minutes I thought she was dying."
"I knew the awning was there."
"You threw a newborn through a window."
"I needed you to listen. Pike says the deadline is real. The advance has already been spent. If I don't give them the deed, they'll come after me."
"Then face them. Leave us alone."
Vanessa breathed hard. "You think Mom was protecting you with that house? She was protecting a secret. Ask Theo why she kept the water room locked."
Claire glanced at the lawyer. He looked equally surprised.
"Where are you?" Ortiz asked from across the table.
"Nice try, Detective." Vanessa had recognized her voice. "Claire, I never wanted Emma hurt."
"You don't get to say her name."
"If you cared about the families below the hill, you'd sign. They need the gate fixed."
"By the people planning to bury it?"
Silence.
"Pike told you a different story, didn't he?" Claire said.
Vanessa's voice dropped to a whisper. "He told me the baby would be safe."
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The call ended. Ortiz kept the recorder running for a moment.
Claire stared at the blank screen. Her sister hadn't merely lost control. Somebody had helped her plan the worst moment of Claire's life.
