Chapter 2 - THE CAMERA WENT BLACK
Adrian saw it too.
The red light vanished.
"Ramon," he snapped.
His head of security was already moving.
"Pull the pool feed. Now."
Vanessa tightened both hands around Adrian's arm.
"The baby needs a doctor. This can wait."
"The baby is breathing," Adrian said. "And the ambulance is already coming."
Maria sat on the stone with a blanket around her shoulders while Oliver cried against his father's chest.
She could not stop shaking.
Vanessa crouched beside her.
To anyone watching, she looked concerned.
Her voice was barely audible.
"You should have stayed inside."
Maria stared at her.
"You pushed him."
Vanessa smiled without warmth.
"Prove it."
Adrian turned back toward them.
Vanessa immediately changed her expression.
"She's threatening me."
Maria stood.
"No. She just told me I should have stayed inside."
Vanessa laughed. "She's panicking because she got caught."
Ramon returned from the security room ten minutes later.
His face told Adrian the answer before he spoke.
"The camera feed is gone."
"Gone how?"
"Not corrupted. Deleted."
Adrian looked at Vanessa.
She looked offended.
"Why are you staring at me?"
Ramon continued.
"The system shows an administrator login at 12:14 a.m. The pool camera was manually erased."
Maria looked at the clock inside the house.
12:21.
Seven minutes ago.
Adrian's voice became quiet.
"Who has administrator access?"
Ramon hesitated.
"You. Me. And Mrs. Reed."
Vanessa's eyes flashed.
"You gave me access for the renovation cameras."
Adrian nodded slowly.
"Where was your phone?"
"Upstairs."
Maria looked at Vanessa's dress.
A rectangular shape showed clearly beneath the fabric at her hip.
Her phone was in her pocket.
May you like
Vanessa saw Maria looking.
And covered it with her hand.
