Chapter 2: The Man With the Second Screwdriver
For one frozen second, nobody in the ballroom moved.
Then Lily whispered, “Daddy?””
I stepped in front of her.
“Stay behind me.””
She grabbed the back of my jacket.
Mr. Aaron stood beneath the brass-framed doorway, his breathing heavy, one hand wrapped around a screwdriver exactly like the one Elias had just pulled from Lily’s wheelchair.
His usually neat gray polo shirt was half untucked.
His face had gone pale.
The two police officers behind him immediately started walking toward us.
Aaron pointed at Elias.
“That’s him.””
I looked from Aaron to the officers.
“What exactly is going on?””
The older officer, a broad-shouldered woman with silver hair pulled into a tight braid, stopped several feet away.
“Mr. Carter?””
“Yes.””
“I’m Detective Mercer. We received a call regarding an unauthorized person entering the foundation event.””
My eyes went to Aaron.
He swallowed.
“I saw him near your daughter.””
“You called the police?””
Aaron nodded.
“Because I was afraid something would happen to her.””
A strange laugh escaped me.
“You were afraid?””
Aaron’s expression hardened.
“Daniel, listen to me. That man is dangerous.””
Elias rose slowly.
“He’s lying.””
Aaron took a step toward him.
“Don't come near me.””
Elias looked at the screwdriver in Aaron’s hand.
“Put that away.””
Aaron stared at him.
“You know nothing about me.””
“I know exactly what that tool did.””
My chest tightened.
I stepped toward Aaron.
“What did you do?””
He looked at me as if I had slapped him.
“I've spent eight months helping your daughter.””
“You were the one who fitted her braces.””
“Yes.””
“You were the one who adjusted them.””
“Yes.””
“You were the one who told me her standing progress had stalled.””
Aaron hesitated.
“Yes.””
I pointed toward Lily.
“She just stood up.””
The room seemed to shrink around us.
Aaron looked at my daughter.
Something flickered across his face.
Surprise.
Then something else.
It disappeared too quickly for me to name.
“You shouldn't have allowed that,” he said.
My voice went cold.
“Allowed what?””
“Forcing her to stand.””
“She stood by herself.””
“No.””
Aaron shook his head.
“That was dangerous.””
Lily spoke from behind me.
“It didn't hurt.””
Aaron looked at her.
“Lily, get back into your chair.””
She didn't move.
He softened his voice.
“Sweetheart, you know Daddy and I have been trying to protect your legs.””
Lily stared at him.
“You told Daddy I couldn't stand.””
Aaron's jaw tightened.
“I told him that you weren't ready.””
“But I stood.””
He said nothing.
The room had become so quiet that I could hear the soft clink of ice shifting inside someone's abandoned champagne glass.
Detective Mercer raised a hand.
“Everyone needs to slow down.””
Her partner stepped beside her.
“Mr. Carter, we'd like to ask a few questions.””
I nodded.
“Fine.””
He glanced at Elias.
“And him.””
Elias shrugged.
“Ask.””
Mercer looked at me.
“Did you know this man before tonight?””
“No.””
“Did you invite him?””
“No.””
“Did he make contact with your daughter?””
I hesitated.
“He adjusted something on her brace.””
Aaron immediately interrupted.
“He tampered with medical equipment.””
Elias turned toward him.
“I removed a lock you installed.””
Aaron's face drained.
“I did no such thing.””
“Then explain the forced latch.””
“I don't have to explain anything to you.””
Mercer looked between them.
“Mr. Aaron, are you the girl's therapist?””
“Yes.””
“Then you can explain the mechanism.””
Aaron walked closer.
The detectives stepped aside.
He crouched beside Lily, but she backed away.
“Don't touch her.””
The words came from me before I even thought them.
Aaron stopped.
His face hardened.
“Daniel, you're making a mistake.””
“Maybe.””
I glanced at the screwdriver in his hand.
“But I know you gave me a very different explanation for that brace six months ago.””
“What are you talking about?””
“You said the locking system was necessary.””
“It was.””
Elias shook his head.
“Not that lock.””
Aaron glared at him.
“You're not an orthopedic technician.””
“No.””
“Then stop pretending you know what you're talking about.””
Elias lifted the screwdriver from the wheelchair.
“I don't have to pretend.””
He walked toward the center of the ballroom.
Everyone watched him.
He turned the tool over and showed me the worn metal shaft.
“Look at the tip.””
I did.
There was a faint smear of blue paint near the end.
Aaron's screwdriver looked identical.
“What am I supposed to see?””
Elias looked at Aaron.
“A damaged adjustment screw.””
Aaron's eyes narrowed.
“This is ridiculous.””
Elias continued.
“Custom braces like Lily's use calibrated stops. You can restrict knee extension, flexion, or both. Whoever modified this one tightened the standing limit beyond the original specification.””
Mercer frowned.
“You're saying the braces were altered?””
“Yes.””
Aaron shook his head.
“No.””
Elias pointed to Lily's right brace.
“The mark is fresh.””
I crouched.
There was, in fact, a tiny scratch around one of the screws.
“How long?”” I asked.
“Less than a week.””
Aaron answered too quickly.
“That's impossible.””
Elias looked at him.
“Why?””
Aaron opened his mouth.
Nothing came out.
Detective Mercer noticed.
“Mr. Aaron?””
He rubbed his palm against his trouser leg.
“I adjusted the brace last Tuesday.””
My heart slammed against my ribs.
“You adjusted it?””
“Yes.””
“You never told me.””
“It was a routine adjustment.””
“Then why didn't you tell me you changed the standing limit?””
“I didn't change it.””
Elias laughed once.
Not because anything was funny.
Because he couldn't believe what he was hearing.
“You just said you adjusted it.””
“I adjusted alignment.””
“You changed the stop.””
Aaron turned to Detective Mercer.
“This man is twisting my words.””
Mercer didn't answer immediately.
Her eyes stayed on the screwdriver.
“Where did you get that?””
Aaron held it up.
“From my clinic.””
“Why did you bring it here?””
“I came because I received a message that someone had broken into the equipment storage room.””
My head snapped toward him.
“What message?””
Aaron reached into his pocket.
“I'll show you.””
He pulled out his phone.
His hands were shaking.
For a second, the screen reflected in the ballroom lights.
Then his expression changed.
The phone slipped from his fingers.
It hit the marble floor.
Aaron stared at the screen as if he'd seen a ghost.
Mercer bent down and picked it up.
“What is it?””
Aaron didn't answer.
I stepped closer.
Mercer looked at me.
“There are multiple messages.””
“From whom?””
“Unknown number.””
She scrolled once.
Then her expression tightened.
“What do they say?””
Mercer hesitated.
“Tell your client the girl must not stand.””
Every hair on my arms rose.
Another message appeared beneath it.
“Tonight, she will.””
Lily's hand slipped into mine.
I could feel it trembling.
“Daddy,” she whispered.
I pulled her close.
“I'm here.””
Elias looked toward the exits.
“How many entrances does this ballroom have?””
Mercer glanced at him.
“Why?””
“Because whoever sent those messages knew Lily would be here.””
Aaron suddenly lunged for his phone.
Mercer stepped between them.
“Don't.””
“I need to call someone.””
“Who?””
“My clinic.””
“Why?””
Aaron looked at me.
“Because if someone has accessed Lily's records, this is bigger than a brace.””
The words hit me harder than I expected.
“What records?””
Aaron's eyes darted away.
“The original accident reports. Her surgical files. Her therapy assessments.””
I stared at him.
“Those files are private.””
“Yes.””
“Who has access?””
Aaron said nothing.
Elias answered for him.
“Anyone who knew exactly what to alter.””
I turned toward Elias.
“You keep talking like you know what's happening.””
He looked at Lily.
“I know what happened to my sister.””
The ballroom went quiet again.
Mercer studied him.
“Your sister?””
Elias nodded.
“Six years ago.””
“What does that have to do with Lily?””
He looked at the screwdriver.
“Everything.””
I felt a knot forming in my stomach.
“What was her name?””
Elias didn't answer immediately.
When he finally did, his voice was barely audible.
“Emily.””
Aaron suddenly stepped backward.
Just one step.
But I saw it.
So did Mercer.
Her eyes moved from Aaron to Elias.
“You know him?”” she asked Aaron.
“No.””
Elias smiled bitterly.
“You've never met me?””
Aaron shook his head.
“No.””
“Look closer.””
Aaron stared at him.
Elias reached into the inside pocket of his torn coat.
He pulled out an old photograph.
The edges were bent.
Water stained one corner.
He handed it to me.
A young woman stood in the picture beside a rehabilitation machine.
She had the same dark eyes as Elias.
On the back was a handwritten date.
And underneath it were four words.
*Aaron knew the truth.*
I looked up.
Aaron was already backing toward the door.
Detective Mercer noticed.
“Mr. Aaron.””
He stopped.
“Don't move.””
His face had gone completely white.
Then the ballroom lights flickered.
Once.
Twice.
And every exit door in the room clicked shut at the same time.
Lily screamed.
The sound of a lock sliding into place came from directly behind us.
Then Elias whispered one sentence.
“They're not trying to keep us inside.””
May you like
He looked toward the darkened ceiling.
“They're trying to keep somebody from getting out.””
