Chapter 5: The Missing Recordings
Marcus stood outside Poppy's bedroom, reading the access log for the third time.
The afternoon sunlight spilled through the hallway windows, illuminating every detail of the screen.
There was no ambiguity in the timestamp.
Someone had accessed the security system at 8:42 p.m. the previous evening and manually disabled a portion of the upstairs recording schedule.
Marcus called the security supervisor.
"Tell me exactly what was changed.""
The supervisor, a former police officer named Ellis, answered immediately.
"The hallway camera stopped recording for thirty-seven minutes, sir. The system administrator account authorized the change.""
"Can you identify the device?""
"We're checking that now. The account credentials alone won't tell us who was holding the device.""
"Preserve every remaining log. Don't overwrite anything.""
"Already done.""
"Has anyone accessed the system since?""
"One attempted login this afternoon. It came from a device connected to the mansion's private network.""
Marcus looked through Poppy's open bedroom door.
She was sitting on the bed, carefully breaking a piece of toast into small squares.
"Can you identify the device?""
"Not yet. I'll need to compare the connection records.""
"Do it.""
Marcus ended the call.
He wanted to storm downstairs and demand answers from Vanessa. He wanted to know why she had asked about the cameras, why the recordings were missing, and why his daughter had become frightened of someone who was supposed to care for her.
But anger would not recover the evidence.
He needed facts.
He needed to understand what had happened when he wasn't home.
And above all, he needed to make sure Poppy would never again feel that telling the truth could cost her the only home she knew.
Marcus returned to the bedroom.
Poppy had stopped eating.
"Is something wrong, Daddy?""
He sat beside her.
"No, sweetheart. I'm just thinking.""
"Are you going to work?""
"Not today.""
She studied his face.
"Promise?""
Marcus held out his little finger.
"I promise.""
Poppy hooked hers around it.
Then she leaned against him, and he felt her shoulders relax for the first time since he'd arrived.
A few minutes later, Grace entered with a fresh glass of water.
"Sir, Mr. Ellis is downstairs. He asked to speak with you.""
Marcus kissed Poppy's hair.
"I'll be back in a few minutes.""
Poppy caught his sleeve.
"Can Grace stay?""
"Of course.""
Grace sat beside her immediately.
"I'll be right here, sweetheart.""
Marcus left the bedroom and walked downstairs.
Ellis stood near the entrance to the living room with a tablet in his hand. Two security officers waited beside him.
Vanessa was still in the room.
She had changed her posture, abandoning the rigid stance she'd maintained earlier. She now sat on the sofa with a tissue in her hand, her pink dress arranged neatly across her knees.
When Marcus entered, she looked up with glistening eyes.
"Finally," she said.
"Can we stop treating me like a criminal?""
Marcus ignored the remark.
"Ellis, tell me what you found.""
The supervisor opened the tablet.
"The camera facing the upstairs hallway was disabled remotely through the administrator account. We have the access timestamp, but we're still identifying the device.""
Vanessa dabbed the corner of one eye.
"Are you seriously investigating the cameras because of a bowl?""
Marcus turned toward her.
"I'm investigating the security system because recordings are missing.""
"Perhaps the system malfunctioned.""
Ellis shook his head.
"The system reports a manual override, ma'am.""
Vanessa looked at him.
"And you're certain it wasn't a technical fault?""
"The record indicates an authorized command.""
She set the tissue down.
"Well, I certainly didn't do it.""
Marcus watched her carefully.
"I haven't accused you of doing it.""
Vanessa's mouth opened, then closed.
Ellis continued.
"We also found an attempt to access the system this afternoon. The device has not been identified yet.""
"Then you have nothing," Vanessa said sharply.
Marcus stepped closer.
"We have missing recordings and a system override. That's enough to investigate.""
She stood abruptly, knocking a decorative cushion onto the floor.
"This is humiliating! You're questioning me in front of your employees as though I broke into a bank.""
"Nobody has called you a criminal.""
"You're acting as if I'm one.""
"Then help us establish what happened.""
Vanessa stared at him.
For several seconds, the room remained silent.
Then she picked up her phone.
"I'm calling my attorney.""
"That's your right," Marcus replied.
Her fingers moved quickly across the screen.
Marcus turned back to Ellis.
"Until the investigation is complete, change every administrator password. Restrict access to the security system, and preserve the existing records.""
"Understood, sir.""
"Nobody enters Poppy's bedroom without authorization from me.""
Ellis nodded.
"I'll arrange it.""
Vanessa gave a bitter laugh.
"You're changing the entire security system because a six-year-old claims I was unkind to her?""
Marcus looked at her.
"No. I'm changing the system because someone disabled a camera, and I intend to find out who.""
Her expression flickered.
It was brief, barely a second, but Marcus saw it.
Vanessa turned away and walked toward the grand piano.
She placed one hand on its polished surface, staring at her reflection in the black lacquer.
"You know what the real problem is?"" she said quietly.
Marcus didn't answer.
"You never trusted me to begin with. You wanted a woman who could keep your house running, entertain your guests, and smile beside you at charity events. But the moment something goes wrong, you turn on me.""
"You told me you loved Poppy.""
"I do.""
"Then why is she afraid of you?""
Vanessa spun around.
"Because you make her believe she can do anything she wants!""
Marcus shook his head.
"She asked to eat at a table.""
"She spilled juice, disobeyed instructions, and cried until everyone paid attention to her. I was trying to teach her that actions have consequences.""
"By kicking a bowl toward her feet?""
Vanessa's face flushed.
"I lost my temper. It happens.""
"To adults, perhaps. But adults are responsible for what they do when they lose it.""
She stared at him, breathing hard.
Then her expression changed again.
The anger drained away, replaced by a carefully composed sadness.
"Marcus, I made a mistake. I admit that. But don't let one bad afternoon destroy everything we've built together.""
Marcus looked at the woman he had once considered a permanent part of his future.
"What exactly have we built together?""
Vanessa's eyes widened.
"You know what I mean.""
"I know what you said to my daughter. I know what Grace witnessed. And I know someone interfered with the cameras.""
"You're connecting things that have nothing to do with each other.""
"Maybe. That's why I'm investigating instead of guessing.""
Ellis's tablet vibrated.
He glanced down, then frowned.
"Sir, we have an update.""
Marcus turned immediately.
"What is it?""
"We've identified the device involved in the afternoon login attempt.""
Vanessa's shoulders stiffened.
Ellis continued.
"It's a tablet registered to this household.""
"Whose tablet?"" Marcus asked.
Ellis checked the record again.
"The device is assigned to Mrs. Vanessa Reed.""
Vanessa stared at him.
Then she looked at Marcus, and the composure she had worked so hard to maintain began to fracture.
"That's impossible," she whispered.
Marcus held out his hand.
"Show me the record.""
Ellis passed him the tablet.
The device name appeared clearly on the screen, followed by the time of the attempted login.
Marcus studied it.
Then he noticed a second line.
The tablet had attempted to access an archived folder containing system maintenance records.
A folder that ordinary household users were not supposed to know existed.
Marcus looked up.
"Vanessa, why was your tablet trying to access the security archive?""
She took a step backward.
"I don't know.""
"Your device attempted the login.""
"Then someone used it without my permission!""
"Who?""
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Marcus handed the tablet back to Ellis.
"Keep investigating.""
As Ellis stepped away, Vanessa reached for Marcus's arm.
"Please. Don't do this.""
He gently removed her hand.
"I'm trying to protect my daughter.""
Vanessa's face hardened.
"And what about me?""
Marcus looked at her for a long moment.
"That depends on what we find.""
He turned toward the staircase.
Behind him, Vanessa's voice dropped to a whisper.
"You have no idea what you're about to destroy.""
Marcus stopped.
He looked back.
"What does that mean?""
Vanessa blinked rapidly, as though she'd only just realized what she'd said.
"Nothing.""
But Marcus had heard the fear in her voice.
May you like
And for the first time, he wondered whether the missing recordings concealed something beyond the cruelty he'd witnessed that afternoon.
Something Vanessa had been desperate to keep hidden.
