Chapter 3: The Woman in the Video
Her name was Claire Mercer.
I knew her.
Everyone in the Hale household knew her.
She had been Vanessa’s sister.
Or at least, that was what Vanessa had told me.
Claire had supposedly moved to Boston two years earlier after a bitter family argument.
I had never questioned it.
Until that night.
The officer replayed the video.
Claire stood beneath the hallway light, holding the baby blanket.
“Daniel, she knows everything.””
The recording ended.
“Who is she?”” the officer asked.
Daniel didn't answer.
“Mr. Hale?””
Daniel rubbed both hands over his face.
“Claire is my wife's sister.””
“I know,” I said.
Vanessa looked at me sharply.
“You don't know anything about my family.””
“I met Claire.””
Her eyes widened.
“When?””
“Last summer.””
Vanessa went completely still.
I remembered that day clearly.
It had been raining.
I had gone to the front gate because someone was arguing with the security guard.
Claire had stood outside.
She was soaked.
She had looked exhausted.
She asked for Vanessa.
Vanessa came downstairs.
They argued for nearly ten minutes.
Then Claire left.
I never saw her again.
Or so I thought.
The officer looked at Vanessa.
“You told us your sister moved to Boston.””
“She did.””
“Then why was she here last night?””
Vanessa stared at Daniel.
“I don't know.””
Daniel finally spoke.
“She came back.””
“Why?””
“Family matter.””
“What family matter?””
Daniel didn't answer.
The officer glanced at his partner.
“Mr. Hale, your wife claims the nanny attempted to kill your daughter. We now have video evidence showing your wife pushed the stroller, plus an audio recording suggesting the two of you planned to frame Ms. Brooks.””
Vanessa's voice trembled.
“That recording could be edited.””
Lucas immediately said, “It wasn't.””
Everyone looked at him.
He lifted his chin.
“I checked the file.””
Daniel's face tightened.
“You don't understand computers.””
“I understand enough.””
“You're eight.””
“I know.””
The officer almost smiled.
“Lucas, where did you find these files?””
“Dad's tablet.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“Lucas, go upstairs.””
“No.””
“Now.””
“No!””
The boy's voice cracked.
“You told Mom to make Grace disappear.””
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Daniel stared at his son.
For the first time, he looked less like a powerful businessman and more like a man who had just realized the one person he never expected to betray him had finally seen the truth.
I crouched beside Lucas.
“Did you hear anything else?””
He nodded.
“Last night.””
“What?””
“Dad was on the phone.””
Daniel said, “That's enough.””
The officer held up a hand.
“Let him speak.””
Lucas looked at me.
“He said the baby wasn't supposed to survive.””
My heart stopped.
Vanessa whispered, “Lucas…”
“He said the insurance company would pay.””
Daniel lunged forward.
The officer blocked him.
“Stay where you are.””
Daniel stopped.
I felt the room tilt.
Insurance.
The word echoed inside my head.
Emma was only three months old.
Why would anyone take out a life insurance policy on a baby?
I looked at Daniel.
“Why?””
He said nothing.
“Why would you need Emma dead?””
Vanessa started crying.
This time, the tears looked real.
She sank onto the sofa.
“I didn't want this.””
Daniel turned toward her.
“Vanessa.””
“I told you I couldn't do it.””
“You did exactly what we planned.””
“I couldn't stop.””
“You pushed her.””
“You told me to!””
The room went silent.
Vanessa covered her mouth.
Daniel's eyes widened.
She realized what she had just said.
The officer slowly took out his notebook.
“I'm sorry. Could you repeat that?””
Vanessa stared at him.
“I…”
“You said he told you to push the stroller.””
“No.””
“You just said—”
“I was scared!””
Daniel grabbed her wrist.
“Stop talking.””
The officer immediately stepped between them.
“Let her go.””
Daniel released her.
Vanessa began sobbing.
“He said everything would be fine.””
Daniel looked at her with pure hatred.
“You're ruining everything.””
The officer turned toward him.
“Everything?””
Daniel said nothing.
Then a sound came from the doorway.
A hospital phone ringing.
One of the officers answered it.
“Hello?””
He listened.
His face changed.
“Yes.””
He glanced at me.
“She's awake?””
My knees nearly gave out.
“Emma?””
The officer nodded.
“The baby is awake.””
I covered my mouth.
Tears filled my eyes.
“Can I see her?””
“We'll take you.””
Vanessa stood.
“I’m her mother.””
The officer blocked her.
“You're not going anywhere right now.””
Daniel stepped forward.
“You can't keep me from my daughter.””
“We can while we're investigating a potential attempted murder.””
His face hardened.
“This is my property.””
The officer's voice became colder.
“Not anymore.””
Daniel looked at me.
For a second, our eyes met.
His expression said something his mouth didn't.
This wasn't over.
Not even close.
Then Lucas grabbed my sleeve.
“Grace.””
I looked down.
“What?””
He whispered, “Claire wasn't the woman in the video.””
I froze.
“What?””
He pointed at the tablet.
“The video said Claire was warning Dad.””
I looked at the screen again.
The woman had stood beneath a hallway light.
I had assumed she was Claire because Daniel said so.
But Lucas had noticed something I hadn't.
He tapped the paused image.
“Look at her hand.””
I zoomed in.
A thin gold ring.
A small black stone.
I knew that ring.
My stomach dropped.
Vanessa wore it every day.
But the woman in the video wasn't Vanessa.
It couldn't be.
Because Vanessa was standing three feet away from me.
So who was she?
Lucas whispered, “There's another video.””
“Where?””
“Hidden.””
“Hidden where?””
He looked toward Daniel.
Then toward the staircase.
“In the nursery.””
Daniel heard him.
His face went white.
“Don't.””
Lucas took one step backward.
“What?””
Daniel's voice was barely audible.
“Don't go into that room.””
That was all the confirmation we needed.
The officer drew his radio.
“Secure the nursery.””
I looked toward the stairs.
Somewhere behind that closed door was the answer to why Emma had been targeted.
And judging by Daniel's face, whatever we found there was worse than the recording.
The officer reached for the nursery door.
Then, from inside the room, a baby began to cry.
But Emma was at the hospital.
And everyone in the house knew it.
The crying stopped.
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A second later, a woman whispered from behind the door:
“Grace… if you're still alive, you need to know what Daniel did to your sister.””
