Chapter 5 - THE THREAD
Vanessa looked at the thread in Maria's fingers.
Then at the scissors.
"Move."
Maria did not.
"Why? So you can cut this too?"
Vanessa's voice dropped.
"You have no idea what you're getting involved in."
"I watched you push a baby into a pool."
"You saw what you think you saw."
Maria backed toward the hallway.
"Stay away from me."
Vanessa stepped forward.
Ramon appeared behind her.
"Mrs. Reed. Put the scissors down."
Vanessa spun around.
"I was looking for wrapping paper."
Ramon's expression did not change.
Police bagged the blue thread.
They also photographed the missing clogs rack.
At 3:10 a.m., Adrian returned from the hospital carrying Oliver in a white blanket.
His face changed when Maria stood.
"He's okay," he said.
Maria covered her mouth.
"Thank God."
Adrian handed the baby to Ramon and faced Vanessa.
"Tell me the truth now."
She began crying.
"I already did."
"You deleted the camera footage."
"Because I was scared."
"A second camera lost its memory card."
"Not me."
"And you changed into shoes with mud from the path beside that camera."
Vanessa shook her head.
Then Adrian said, "I called the security company. Deleted video stays in cloud recovery for twenty-four hours."
Vanessa stopped crying.
For half a second.
That was enough.
Adrian saw it.
Ramon saw it.
Maria saw it.
Adrian turned to Ramon.
"Restore it."
Vanessa stepped between them.
"Wait."
Adrian looked at her.
"Why?"
Her voice became barely audible.
"Because there is something on that video you don't understand."
Adrian stared at her.
"Then help me understand it."
May you like
Vanessa looked at Oliver.
And whispered, "The stroller wasn't supposed to have a baby in it."
