PART 4
Vanessa’s voice went sharp.
“Grace, don’t you dare.”
My mother trembled.
Then her eyes moved toward the small wooden shelf near the window.
A digital clock sat there beside a framed photo of my father.
The clock was old, black, and plain.
I had bought it for my mother before I deployed because she kept missing her medication alarms.
She looked at it and whispered, “The camera is in there.”
Vanessa took one step backward.
Her lips parted.
“Don’t open it.”
I stood.
The room seemed to shrink around her.
“What did you say?”
Vanessa swallowed.
“I said don’t. It’s private. You can’t just record people.”
My mother whispered, “I was scared, Ethan.”
I walked to the shelf and picked up the clock.
Vanessa lunged.
I turned fast.
“Stay where you are.”
She froze.
My thumb found the hidden panel at the back.
I had installed the camera myself after my mother mentioned strange things happening during video calls.
Missing medicine.
Moved papers.
A broken lamp Vanessa claimed had fallen by itself.
At the time, I told myself I was being paranoid.
A soldier’s brain looking for threats in a quiet home.
I was wrong.
I connected the clock to my phone.
May you like
The first recording opened.
And Vanessa’s voice filled the bedroom.
