Chapter 7 - She Wanted It Recorded
“That makes no sense.”
Ben paced the kitchen.
“If Mom knew the camera was recording, why would she do something like that?”
Daniel replayed the recovered clip.
Linda’s eyes.
One glance.
Toward the phone.
Then Ellie.
Claire felt sick.
“She wanted someone to see.”
Gary shook his head.
“No.”
“Then explain it.”
“I can't.”
Claire stood.
“She was terrified when I picked up the phone.”
“Exactly,” Ben said. “So she didn't want it recorded.”
“Maybe she didn't want that recording.”
They all looked at her.
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?”
“What if she expected something else to happen?”
Silence.
Claire replayed the moments before.
Ellie reached toward the cup.
Linda saw her.
But before reacting, Linda looked past Ellie.
Not only at the phone.
Toward the hallway.
“Pause.”
Daniel stopped the clip.
Claire pointed.
“There.”
A figure was visible in the reflection of the stainless steel refrigerator.
Someone stood in the hallway.
“Who is that?” Ben asked.
Daniel enlarged the frame.
The reflection was distorted.
Male.
White shirt.
Dark trousers.
Ben’s clothing.
Claire turned toward her husband.
Ben stared at the image.
“That’s not me.”
“You were wearing exactly that.”
“I was in the garage.”
Gary nodded.
“He was with me.”
Claire remembered.
Ben and Daniel had been carrying chairs.
Daniel had returned first.
Ben later.
“So who?”
Daniel adjusted the image.
Something metallic flashed near the figure’s hand.
A watch.
Gary frowned.
“I know that watch.”
“Whose?”
Gary leaned closer.
His face changed.
“Uncle Robert.”
Ben looked confused.
“Mom's brother?”
Gary nodded.
“He was invited today.”
Claire frowned.
“He wasn't there.”
“He canceled this morning.”
“Apparently not.”
Daniel searched the exterior camera footage.
At 12:41 p.m., a dark SUV entered the side driveway.
At 12:52, Robert Mercer walked into the house.
At 1:09, he left.
No one remembered seeing him.
Because he had used the mudroom entrance.
Claire looked at Gary.
“Why would Linda’s brother sneak into your house?”
Gary’s expression darkened.
“I don't know.”
His phone rang.
Unknown number.
He answered.
“Hello?”
Everyone watched.
Gary’s face changed.
“Robert.”
Ben stood.
“Put him on speaker.”
Gary did.
Robert’s voice filled the room.
“I told Linda to leave it alone.”
Gary gripped the phone.
“What were you doing in my house?”
Silence.
“You saw the video?”
Claire answered.
“Yes.”
Robert exhaled slowly.
“Then you know enough to stay away from her.”
“From Linda?” Claire asked.
“No.”
Robert’s voice sharpened.
“From the woman she was talking to.”
Claire looked at the laptop.
“Dr. Parker?”
Robert laughed once.
“No.”
Everyone froze.
“Then who?”
Robert whispered, “The woman Linda called wasn’t her therapist.”
Claire stared at Gary.
Robert continued.
“She was pretending it was.”
Ben stepped closer.
“Why?”
“Because Linda knew somebody had been listening to her calls.”
“Who?”
Robert said nothing.
Then Claire heard a vehicle approaching outside.
Daniel looked through the window.
A burgundy sedan stopped at the curb.
Linda’s car.
She stepped out.
Alone.
Gary whispered, “She's back.”
Robert immediately said, “Do not let her into the house.”
Gary looked at the phone.
“Why?”
Robert’s voice lowered.
“Because Linda didn't come back for you.”
Claire watched Linda walk toward the front door.
“She came back for the phone?” Claire asked.
“No.”
May you like
A knock sounded.
Robert said, “She came back for Ellie.”
