Chapter 3: The Name Behind the Login
The address belonged to a man named Darrell Price.
I hadn't heard that name in seven years.
Not because I'd forgotten him.
Because I'd worked very hard to stop thinking about him.
Darrell had been a firefighter with me early in my career.
He was also one of the most reckless men I'd ever known.
Seven years ago, he had been fired after an investigation into missing department equipment.
The investigation never proved he stole anything.
But everyone knew where the suspicion landed.
Darrell disappeared from our circle after that.
No calls.
No holidays.
No apologies.
Nothing.
And now his name was appearing on my security system at 12:42 a.m.
I stared at the screen.
The login was still active.
Whoever was connected was watching the cameras right now.
I ran upstairs.
Halfway down the hallway, I heard voices coming from Kayla's bedroom.
Monique was inside.
The door was cracked open.
“I told you this would happen,” Kayla said.
“You said you handled it.””
“I thought I did.””
“You were wrong.””
I stopped.
Every instinct told me not to interrupt.
Then Jamal's bedroom door opened behind me.
“Dad?””
I turned.
He saw the expression on my face.
“What happened?””
“Stay here.””
“But—”
“Jamal.””
He froze.
I raised a finger to my lips.
Then I moved toward Kayla's room.
Inside, Monique whispered, “Your stepfather checked the cameras.””
Kayla replied, “I know.””
My hand tightened around the door frame.
“You knew?””
Monique lowered her voice.
“Did you delete everything?””
“Yes.””
“Everything?””
“Almost.””
My heart started pounding.
I pushed the door open.
Both of them turned.
Kayla's face went white.
Monique stared at me.
“What are you doing?””
I held up my phone.
“Who is Darrell Price?””
Neither answered.
I looked at Kayla.
“Do you know him?””
She looked at Monique.
That was enough.
I felt something inside me drop.
“Kayla.””
Her lips parted.
“I've heard the name.””
“From who?””
She didn't answer.
Monique stepped forward.
“That's enough.””
“No.””
I looked at my wife.
“You knew that man was accessing our system.””
“I knew nothing.””
“Then why did you look scared when I showed you the login?””
“Because I don't know what you're talking about.””
“You just told Kayla she needed to delete everything.””
Kayla flinched.
Monique turned on her.
“You heard wrong.””
“No,” I said.
“She heard you.””
Silence.
Jamal appeared in the hallway.
He looked from me to Kayla.
“What is going on?””
Monique immediately pointed toward him.
“Go back to your room.””
He didn't move.
“Dad?””
I kept my eyes on Monique.
“How long have you been accusing Jamal?””
“A few weeks.””
“Why?””
“Because Kayla told me.””
I looked at Kayla.
“Did you tell her that?””
Kayla nodded.
“Yes.””
“Why?””
Her eyes filled with tears.
“I was scared.””
“Of Jamal?””
She hesitated.
“Yes.””
I studied her face.
Then I asked the question that had been sitting in my head since I saw the recordings.
“Then why were you standing outside his bedroom at 2:17 in the morning?””
Kayla froze.
Monique answered for her.
“She couldn't sleep.””
“Why was she smiling at the camera?””
“She was nervous.””
“That wasn't nervous.””
“You're not an expert on her emotions.””
“I've been raising her for ten years.””
“So have I.””
“And I'm the one asking questions.””
Monique's face hardened.
“This is turning into an interrogation.””
“No. It's turning into the first honest conversation we've had.””
Kayla wiped her eyes.
“Stop.””
We all looked at her.
She stepped forward.
“I want to say something.””
Monique grabbed her wrist.
“Kayla.””
Kayla pulled free.
“No.””
Her voice shook.
“I can't keep doing this.””
My skin prickled.
“What can't you keep doing?””
Kayla looked at me.
“The story.””
“What story?””
She glanced toward Jamal.
Then back at me.
“The story about Jamal.””
Jamal stared at her.
“What does that mean?””
Kayla began crying.
“I didn't think my mom would take it this far.””
Monique went still.
“Kayla.””
“You said nobody would get hurt.””
“What are you saying?”” I demanded.
Kayla covered her mouth.
Monique stepped toward her.
“This is enough.””
“No,” I said.
“Let her speak.””
Kayla looked at me.
Her voice came out barely above a whisper.
“Jamal never followed me.””
Jamal closed his eyes.
I felt my pulse hammer in my ears.
“Then why did you say he did?””
She looked toward her mother.
“She told me to.””
The hallway seemed to shrink.
Monique shook her head.
“She’s confused.””
“No,” Kayla whispered.
“I'm not.””
I stared at my wife.
“Why?””
Monique said nothing.
“Why did you tell her to accuse him?””
Her eyes flicked toward the stairs.
Then toward the front door.
Then back to me.
Finally, she said something so quiet I almost missed it.
“Because you were never going to leave him willingly.””
I didn't understand.
“Leave him?””
She began to cry.
“I needed him out of this house.””
“Why?””
“Because Darrell was coming.””
Every muscle in my body went rigid.
Jamal stepped closer.
“Who's Darrell?””
Monique covered her face.
I looked at my phone again.
The remote connection was still active.
Then a new notification appeared.
*Camera 4 — Front Door Motion Detected.*
My blood went cold.
Nobody had left the hallway.
Nobody was near the entrance.
I opened the live feed.
The camera showed my front porch.
Empty.
Then the screen flickered.
The feed returned.
A man was standing there.
Tall.
Gray jacket.
Older.
He slowly raised his face toward the camera.
I knew him instantly.
Darrell Price.
The doorbell rang.
Once.
Twice.
Then my phone received a message from an unknown number.
*You should have listened to your wife.*
May you like
A second message appeared.
*Because Jamal isn't the person I'm here for.*
