Chương 11
Evan looked at his wife.
The voice waited.
Then said, "No."
Claire's entire body seemed to loosen and tense at once.
"No?"
"No."
"You're lying."
"Not about that."
"Then what happened?"
"Your mother made a mistake."
Claire stepped forward.
"What mistake?"
"She trusted someone who believed the archive was more valuable than she was."
Evan's face hardened.
"Who?"
The device clicked again.
"No more names."
Claire laughed once, brittle and disbelieving.
"You've been hiding cameras in my daughter's bedroom and now you have boundaries."
"I did not install the camera."
"Then who did?"
Silence.
Claire took another step.
"Who?"
Imani said quietly, "Don't."
Claire turned on her.
"Don't what?"
"Let whoever this is choose your next move."
Claire stared at her.
Imani could see the instinct to dismiss her rise and then falter.
The voice came through again.
"She's smarter than you thought."
Claire looked back at the wall.
Imani's skin crawled.
"Don't talk about me."
"You're already part of this."
"No."
"You found the card."
"That doesn't make me part of anything."
"It does now."
Evan took out his phone.
The voice said, "Don't call anyone."
Evan stopped.
A chill moved through the room.
The device was not merely transmitting.
It was watching them.
Evan lifted his gaze toward the ceiling.
"Where's the camera?"
No answer.
Claire looked around the nursery.
"There has to be another lens."
Imani said, "Don't search."
Claire frowned at her.
"If they can see us—"
"Then let them see us standing still."
Evan looked toward the tablet.
"Can they see the card?"
The voice responded immediately.
"Yes."
Claire whispered, "Jesus."
Imani's pulse thudded against Sophie's small warm body.
The toddler began to squirm.
She wanted down.
Imani held her closer.
"Not yet."
Sophie protested with a soft cry.
The voice said, "Take the child out of the room."
Evan's expression changed.
"No."
"Take her out."
"Why?"
"You wanted her protected."
Claire looked at Imani.
Then at Evan.
For the first time, all three appeared to have the same thought.
The nursery itself might not be safe.
Evan said, "Imani, take Sophie."
Claire immediately said, "No."
Imani looked at her.
Claire's eyes were fixed on the speaker.
"If they want her out of the room, we don't do what they want."
The voice said, "You are making this harder than it needs to be."
Claire stepped toward the wall again.
"Good."
Evan grabbed her elbow.
"Stop."
She yanked free.
"Why?"
"Because provoking someone with access to our house is not a strategy."
"You think compliance is?"
"I think Sophie leaves."
Imani looked at the door.
"If James is outside."
Evan stopped.
That was the problem.
They did not know whether the danger was in the nursery, the hall, the house, or somewhere beyond all three.
The speaker hissed.
Then the voice said, "James is not involved."
Claire's eyes sharpened.
"How do you know?"
"Because he is incompetent, not corrupt."
The line was so unexpectedly ordinary that Imani almost laughed.
Nobody did.
Evan said, "Where is he now?"
"Downstairs."
"You can see him."
"Yes."
"Through what?"
Silence.
Evan continued.
"How many devices are in this house?"
No answer.
Claire moved toward the cabinet.
"Maybe the card has a system map."
The voice changed.
Only slightly.
"Do not open anything else."
Evan and Imani both heard it.
Fear.
Not much.
But enough.
Claire heard it too.
She looked at the red card.
"What haven't I seen?"
"Claire."
Evan's tone warned her.
She ignored him.
"What is on the card?"
"Don't."
Claire reached for the tablet.
Evan caught her wrist.
She glared at him.
"Let go."
"No."
"You heard him."
"Exactly."
"He's afraid of what's on it."
"Or he wants you to think he is."
Claire stared at Evan.
For a moment, their marriage reduced itself to that old problem.
Which of them was too suspicious.
Which of them was not suspicious enough.
Imani said, "We don't touch it until the forensic team gets inside."
Claire turned.
"The same forensic team currently locked outside our gate."
"Yes."
"You really trust them?"
"I trust chain of custody more than whatever this is."
The voice said, "Good."
Imani looked toward the wall.
"I wasn't asking you."
"You're making the right choice anyway."
Her anger flared.
"Stop talking to me like you know me."
"I know you didn't answer your brother's first call."
The world narrowed.
Imani forgot to breathe.
Sophie shifted against her chest.
Evan looked at her.
Claire did too.
Imani's mouth went dry.
The voice continued.
"You were tired."
"Stop."
"You had an early shift."
"Stop."
"You told yourself he'd call someone else."
"Stop."
The word cracked out of her.
Sophie began to cry.
Imani immediately lowered her voice and bounced her gently.
"I'm sorry, baby."
Her hands were shaking badly now.
Claire moved closer.
"What is he talking about?"
Imani did not answer.
The speaker hissed.
"Everyone has something they wish they had done differently."
Evan's face hardened.
"Turn it off."
"We can't."
"Then tear it out."
Claire looked at him.
"You said preserve everything."
"I changed my mind."
Imani backed toward the door.
"I need to get Sophie out."
Claire nodded this time.
No argument.
Evan moved with her.
The voice said, "If you leave that room, the external team doesn't get through the gate."
Evan stopped.
"Why?"
"Because the system will lock down."
Claire looked toward him.
"He's bluffing."
"Maybe."
"You're going to keep our daughter in here because maybe he's telling the truth?"
"No."
Evan looked at Imani.
"Take her."
Imani opened the door slowly.
Nothing happened.
The hall was empty.
She stepped through with Sophie.
Evan followed immediately.
Claire stayed in the nursery.
Imani turned.
"Claire."
Claire looked at the black rectangle.
"Go."
Evan said, "We're not leaving you."
"You're not."
She pointed toward the floor outside.
"Ten feet."
The voice came faintly from inside the room.
"Claire."
She smiled without humor.
"See?"
Then she shut the nursery door.
Evan stared at the wood.
May you like
"What the hell is she doing?"
Imani did not know.
