Chapter 7: The Man Behind the Glass
The courtroom doors clicked shut.
Avery screamed.
Keisha pulled her close, wrapping both arms around the child as Damon stepped toward the doors.
“Open them.””
The bailiff grabbed the handle.
“It won't move.””
Damon tried it himself.
Nothing.
Judge Harris remained behind the bench, remarkably calm.
“Everyone stay where you are.””
Marcus stared at the security tablet.
The name was still there.
*RAYMOND COLE.*
Damon turned on him.
“You said he wasn't here.””
Marcus didn't answer.
“You said he was afraid of us.””
“I said he found us.””
“That's not the same thing.””
Marcus looked at the ceiling.
“Turn off the courtroom cameras.””
Judge Harris's eyes narrowed.
“Why?””
“Because he's watching.””
The judge looked at the bailiff.
“Can you disconnect them?””
“I can try.””
He hurried toward the control panel.
The courtroom monitor flickered.
The live security feed disappeared.
For two seconds, there was only a black screen.
Then a new image appeared.
A close-up of Avery.
Damon's blood ran cold.
It was live.
The camera wasn't showing the courtroom from a distance.
It was showing Avery's face.
Keisha immediately moved her behind her.
“Where is that camera?””
Marcus whispered, “Not here.””
Judge Harris looked at him.
“Then where?””
Marcus's eyes stayed on the screen.
“In the old house.””
Damon stared.
“What?””
“The camera is connected to the old house.””
The image changed.
Now the screen showed a hallway.
Monique's old hallway.
The same hallway Damon had been trying to remember.
Avery's voice became tiny.
“That door.””
Damon looked at her.
“What door?””
She pointed at the screen.
“At the end.””
The camera moved.
Slowly.
Toward a closed white door.
Damon felt dizzy.
He knew that door.
His body remembered it before his mind did.
Judge Harris asked, “Mr. Carter?””
Damon whispered, “That's where I woke up.””
Keisha looked at him.
“You've been there?””
“I don't know.””
“You just said—”
“I don't know.””
The screen suddenly filled with static.
Then a man's voice came through.
“Damon.””
Everyone froze.
The voice was calm.
Almost friendly.
Damon stepped toward the monitor.
“Raymond?””
A soft laugh.
“You finally remembered my name.””
Marcus moved backward.
“You need to stop.””
Raymond laughed again.
“Marcus.””
His voice sharpened.
“You should have kept your mouth shut.””
Monique's knees buckled.
She grabbed the table.
Damon saw it.
“You knew he was watching.””
Monique shook her head.
“I didn't.””
“You knew.””
“I swear.””
Raymond's voice came through again.
“Monique, don't lie to him.””
She closed her eyes.
Damon stared at her.
“What did you promise him?””
Silence.
“Monique!””
“I promised nothing.””
The screen changed.
A document appeared.
A signature at the bottom.
Monique's signature.
Underneath it was a handwritten sentence.
*Damon Carter will take responsibility for the incident.*
Damon stopped breathing.
Judge Harris stared at the screen.
“What incident?””
Raymond answered.
“The one Damon doesn't remember.””
Damon's hands curled into fists.
“You framed me.””
“Not exactly.””
“You made me sign a confession.””
“You signed willingly.””
“I was drugged.””
“You were frightened.””
Marcus stepped forward.
“You threatened his daughter.””
Raymond's voice became colder.
“And you helped me.””
Marcus flinched.
Damon looked at him.
“You helped him?””
Marcus said nothing.
“You helped him?””
“I was trying to protect Monique.””
“You helped the man threatening my daughter?””
Marcus's eyes filled with shame.
“I made one mistake.””
“One?””
“I thought I could control him.””
Raymond laughed.
“You couldn't control anything.””
The screen went black.
Then a new image appeared.
Avery under the stairs.
Her younger self.
Damon's breath caught.
“No.””
The video was grainy but clear enough.
A little Avery sat beneath the stairs, clutching her backpack.
Damon was standing nearby.
His younger self looked terrified.
He knelt.
He appeared to say something.
The audio crackled.
Then became clear.
“Stay here. Don't come out until I tell you.””
Avery watched the screen.
“I remember.””
Damon covered his mouth.
The video continued.
Damon's younger self stood.
A shadow crossed the hallway.
Someone entered.
The face remained outside the camera's view.
Then Damon stepped toward him.
The screen went black.
Damon whispered, “What happened?””
No answer.
The courtroom monitor suddenly displayed a countdown.
*00:59*
Judge Harris stood.
“What does that mean?””
Marcus's face went white.
“It means he's giving us one minute.””
“One minute for what?””
Marcus looked at Damon.
“To decide who takes the blame.””
The countdown dropped.
May you like
*00:54.*
And then Avery's backpack began vibrating on the floor.
