Chương 9
"Gardener, pool service, Rosa, me."
"Driver?"
"Not today."
"Property manager?"
"James is supposed to come at noon."
Claire looked at Evan.
"Cancel him."
"Why?"
"Because he has override access."
"Which also means if he's involved, canceling him warns him."
Claire's face tightened.
"Then don't cancel him."
Imani stared.
"You just said—"
"I changed my mind."
Evan said, "We aren't playing spy games."
Claire looked at him.
"We already are."
"No."
He shifted Sophie again.
"Someone else may be."
The distinction seemed to bother Claire more than if he had shouted.
Imani texted Mrs. Alvarez that there was a possible security issue and asked her to remain downstairs with the kitchen doors locked.
The reply came quickly.
Should I call the police?
Imani showed Evan.
He read it and shook his head.
"Not yet."
Claire exhaled.
"At least your lawyer has some sense."
Evan looked at her.
"He said not yet because we don't know whether a crime is actively happening or what evidence we actually have."
"That's what I meant."
"No, it isn't."
Claire's expression hardened.
Imani looked back at her phone before either of them could restart.
A second message appeared from Mrs. Alvarez.
James just arrived.
All three adults went still.
Evan said, "Early."
Imani checked the time.
10:57.
"He is."
Claire stepped toward her.
"Did she let him in?"
Imani typed the question.
The answer came almost immediately.
No.
He says the front gate is malfunctioning.
Evan looked toward the hidden camera position.
"Convenient."
Claire's voice was low.
"Too convenient."
Imani's thumb hovered over the screen.
"What do I tell her?"
Evan thought for a second.
"Tell her to say we're on a private family call and he should wait outside."
Claire shook her head.
"He'll know something is wrong."
"He's the property manager."
"He knows I don't do family calls."
Evan looked at her.
"That's a depressing amount of information for a property manager to have."
"He works here."
"So does Imani."
Claire's eyes flicked toward her.
Imani resisted the urge to answer.
She sent the message anyway.
Mrs. Alvarez replied with a single okay.
Then nothing.
A minute passed.
Sophie began to fuss.
She twisted against Evan's chest and pointed toward the door.
"Lunch soon," Imani said automatically.
Claire looked at her.
"What?"
"She's hungry."
The normality of the observation seemed to irritate Claire.
"She's not eating until we know the kitchen is secure."
Imani stared.
"You think someone poisoned the applesauce now?"
"I think we don't know anything."
"She still has to eat."
"Not this second."
Sophie whined louder.
Evan looked between them.
"Is there anything sealed up here?"
Imani nodded toward the changing station.
"Crackers in the diaper bag."
Claire said, "Those aren't lunch."
"No one said they were."
Imani opened the bag and took out a sealed packet.
She showed Claire before opening it.
Claire looked insulted.
Imani almost smiled.
"Just making sure."
"Very funny."
"It wasn't."
She tore open the packet and handed one cracker to Sophie.
The toddler accepted it with complete faith.
Evan lowered her to the rug.
She sat down beside the stuffed rabbit and immediately began chewing.
For thirty seconds, the room contained nothing more threatening than the sound of a child eating too loudly.
Then someone knocked on the nursery door.
Claire inhaled sharply.
Evan moved between the door and Sophie.
Imani froze.
The knock came again.
Three measured taps.
"Mr. Callahan?"
James's voice.
Evan looked at Claire.
Her face had gone blank.
"How did he get inside?"
Imani whispered.
Nobody answered.
James knocked again.
"Sir?"
Evan raised one finger toward the women, then approached the door without opening it.
"What is it, James?"
"The gate system is down."
"We're aware."
"A delivery driver reported an issue at the side entrance too."
Claire's eyes narrowed.
Evan said, "Handle it."
"Yes, sir."
James did not leave.
Evan waited.
"So?"
A pause.
"Mrs. Alvarez said you're dealing with a security problem."
Imani closed her eyes.
Claire mouthed something that was not kind.
Evan's voice stayed level.
"Minor issue."
"I should probably take a look."
"No."
Silence on the other side.
"Sir?"
"We have someone coming."
Another silence.
Longer.
"From Callahan Security?"
Claire shook her head emphatically.
Evan said, "No."
James's reply came a fraction too slowly.
"Understood."
Footsteps moved away.
Imani waited until she could no longer hear them.
"How did he get upstairs?"
Evan looked toward the door.
"Good question."
Claire moved to the intercom panel on the wall and stopped before touching it.
"Security app."
Evan looked at her.
"What?"
"Check the downstairs lock log."
"You said the network might be compromised."
"I know."
"Then why would I open it?"
"Because if James used his override, there will be a local entry event even if someone deletes it later."
Imani frowned.
"Wouldn't checking also tell whoever is watching that we're looking?"
Claire gave her a sharp glance.
"Maybe."
Evan stared at both of them.
"We are not doing maybe anymore."
He picked up the tablet, unplugged the card adapter without touching the red card itself, and set the device face down.
"We wait for the forensic team."
Claire scoffed.
"While James walks around the house."
"He's the property manager."
"Which is exactly why he can walk around the house."
Evan looked at her.
"Do you think he's involved?"
Claire hesitated.
"I don't know."
"Then stop treating suspicion like evidence."
She looked wounded by that.
Imani saw it and, against her better instincts, almost felt sorry for her.
Almost.
Sophie finished the cracker and reached for another.
Imani gave her one.
Claire watched.
"Half."
Imani broke it.
"Happy?"
"No."
"That makes two of us."
Evan almost smiled.
It vanished immediately when his phone vibrated.
He looked at the screen.
"The security firm."
He answered.
"Yes."
His expression changed.
"What do you mean, you can't get through the gate?"
Claire straightened.
Evan walked to the window but stopped before touching the curtain.
"No, don't try again."
He listened.
"Stay where you are."
May you like
He ended the call.
"The front gate won't respond to their access code."
