Chapter 5: Twenty-Three Cameras
Darkness swallowed the room.
Someone gasped.
A chair scraped across the floor.
Then Daniel shouted.
“Mom!””
“I’m here!””
I reached toward his voice.
His hand found mine.
For a moment, we stood together in complete darkness.
Then a red emergency light flickered on.
The hotel office looked different under the dim glow.
Detective Harris drew his flashlight.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
Jessica was gone.
Daniel looked toward the door.
“She left.””
Detective Harris cursed under his breath.
He rushed into the hallway.
I followed.
“Detective!””
He turned.
“What?””
“She knows this hotel.””
“How?””
“Because she just told us there are twenty-three cameras.””
He stared at me.
“Which means she may know where the blind spots are.””
We ran.
The wedding guests were still moving through the corridors, unaware of what had happened.
Then the hotel alarm sounded.
A sharp electronic siren.
People began shouting.
The lights flickered back on.
Daniel grabbed my arm.
“Where’s Jessica?””
“I don't know.””
“She can't disappear.””
“She already did.””
We reached the bridal suite.
The door was open.
Inside, the velvet box sat on the floor.
The necklace was gone.
I stopped.
“My necklace.””
Daniel looked at me.
“She took it?””
I nodded.
“Why would she take an old necklace?””
I stared at the empty box.
“Because it isn't valuable for the reason you think.””
Daniel frowned.
“What do you mean?””
Before I could answer, Detective Harris entered.
He was holding a small black device.
“This was in the hallway.””
I recognized it immediately.
“The thing from Jessica's purse?””
“No.””
He turned it over.
“This controls the cameras.””
Daniel looked stunned.
“Who had access to it?””
“The hotel security team.””
“Anyone else?””
“Apparently.””
Detective Harris pressed a button.
A tiny green light appeared.
“The cameras are back online.””
I looked around.
“How do we know?””
“Because whoever shut them down just turned them back on.””
Daniel stared at the ceiling.
“She wants us to see something.””
The detective nodded.
“Exactly.””
A monitor on the wall suddenly flickered.
One camera feed appeared.
The hotel's underground parking garage.
Jessica was standing beside a black SUV.
She was holding the gold necklace.
Daniel rushed toward the monitor.
“Jessica!””
She looked directly into the camera.
Then she smiled.
“Daniel,” her voice came through the speaker.
He froze.
“Where are you?””
“You know where.””
“Come back upstairs.””
“I can't.””
“Why?””
“Because your mother is about to tell you the rest.””
I stepped closer to the screen.
“Jessica!””
She looked at me.
“You finally remember.””
“Remember what?””
“Your husband's last night.””
I shook my head.
“You're lying.””
She touched the necklace.
“Then why did you give me this?””
“Because it belonged to my mother.””
Jessica smiled.
“No.””
She held the necklace closer to the camera.
“This belonged to your husband.””
I felt the room tilt.
“That’s impossible.””
Daniel looked at me.
“Mom?””
Jessica continued.
“There’s a tiny compartment inside the pendant.””
My breath caught.
I had never opened it.
My mother had always told me never to.
She had said it was a family secret.
Jessica turned the pendant over.
Pressed something.
A tiny section popped open.
Inside was a folded piece of paper.
Daniel whispered:
“What the hell?””
Jessica removed it.
“Your father hid this here.””
I shook my head.
“No.””
“Yes.””
“Give it to me.””
“Come get it.””
Daniel stepped toward the screen.
“Jessica, please.””
She stared at him.
“You still don't understand.””
“Then explain.””
“You were never the target.””
Daniel went still.
“What?””
She looked at me.
“Your mother was.””
The screen went black.
Daniel slammed his hand against the monitor.
“Jessica!””
Detective Harris grabbed his shoulder.
“Stop.””
“She has evidence!””
“She also has a hostage situation if we're not careful.””
“She isn't holding anyone!””
The detective looked at the black screen.
“She doesn't need to.””
My phone suddenly rang.
I looked down.
Unknown number.
Daniel stared at it.
“Answer it.””
I did.
“Hello?””
A woman's voice whispered:
“Evelyn.””
I stopped breathing.
The voice was older.
Rougher.
But I recognized it.
Melissa.
“Where are you?””
“Does it matter?””
“What do you want?””
“I want you to remember.””
“I remember enough.””
“No, you don't.””
There was a pause.
Then she said:
“Your husband didn't die because of me.””
I closed my eyes.
“Then who killed him?””
Her voice became almost gentle.
“You did.””
The call ended.
Daniel stared at me.
“What did she mean?””
“I don't know.””
Detective Harris was already moving.
“We need to find the SUV.””
“Can you trace the call?””
“Maybe.””
He spoke rapidly into his radio.
I stood frozen.
My husband.
My son's father.
Three years of grief.
Three years of believing I had lost him in an accident.
And now someone was telling me I had killed him.
Daniel came closer.
“Mom.””
I looked at him.
“Tell me everything.””
“I don't know everything.””
“Then tell me what you do know.””
I swallowed.
“The night your father died, he called me.””
“You told me he called.””
“He said something strange.””
“What?””
“He said, ‘If anything happens to me, don't trust the woman who comes to the funeral.’”
Daniel frowned.
“Why didn't you tell the police?””
“Because I thought he was confused.””
“Was he?””
“I don't know.””
The detective suddenly returned.
“We found the SUV.””
“Where?””
“Loading dock.””
“Jessica?””
“Gone.””
Daniel's face fell.
“But we found this.””
Detective Harris held up a small envelope.
My name was written across it.
*EVELYN CARTER.*
My hands shook as I took it.
Inside was a single photograph.
My husband stood beside a woman.
Not Jessica.
Not Melissa.
A third woman.
The photograph was dated two days before his death.
On the back was one sentence:
*Ask your son what happened at 10:14.*
Daniel stared at it.
“What happened at 10:14?””
I looked at him.
“I don't know.””
He suddenly stepped backward.
His face had gone white.
“Daniel?””
He shook his head.
“No.””
“What is it?””
“I remember.””
“Remember what?””
He looked at me.
“I was awake that night.””
My heart stopped.
“You told me you were asleep.””
“I thought I was.””
“What did you hear?””
He swallowed.
“Dad and someone were arguing.””
“Who?””
“I don't know.””
“What did they say?””
Daniel closed his eyes.
Then his voice broke.
“I heard Dad say…”
He opened his eyes.
“He said, ‘Daniel, if you can hear me, don't come downstairs.’”
I felt the floor disappear beneath my feet.
“Why didn't you ever tell me?””
“Because I was scared.””
“Of what?””
He looked toward the ceiling.
“Because someone came upstairs afterward.””
“Who?””
Daniel stared at me.
“I saw her face.””
My heart pounded.
“Who was it?””
May you like
He whispered:
“Your mother.””
