Chapter 9: The Video That Disappeared
I read the message three times.
The words didn’t change.
*Ask your father why he deleted the original video.*
My fingers went numb.
“What video?””
My father looked at my phone.
And the color drained from his face.
James noticed immediately.
“Mr. Bennett.””
My father didn’t answer.
“What video?”” James repeated.
My father sat down.
Slowly.
Like his legs had stopped working.
“I didn’t think she would do this.””
My heart pounded.
“Dad.””
He looked at me.
“There was a camera.””
The room went silent.
“What camera?””
“At your house.””
I stared.
“What are you talking about?””
My father rubbed his forehead.
“After Emma was born, you installed a baby monitor system.””
“Yes.””
“One of the cameras recorded the living room.””
I looked at James.
He nodded.
“We have cameras in the nursery and downstairs.””
My father swallowed.
“Lauren knew.””
A cold feeling spread through my chest.
“How?””
“I told her.””
James stepped forward.
“You told her?””
My father closed his eyes.
“I was trying to calm her down after Thanksgiving.””
“That doesn’t explain why she knew.””
“She asked if there was proof.””
I felt sick.
“She asked?””
“Yes.””
“And what did you say?””
My father didn’t answer.
He didn’t need to.
I knew.
“You told her about the camera.””
He nodded.
James’s expression hardened.
“Then why delete anything?””
My father looked at him.
“I didn’t delete it.””
The room went still.
“What?””
“I tried to save it.””
“Then why would someone say you deleted it?””
My father looked at the message.
“I don’t know.””
James took out his phone.
“We need to see the footage.””
My father shook his head.
“It’s gone.””
My stomach dropped.
“Gone?””
“Yes.””
“When?””
“The morning after Thanksgiving.””
I felt my anger rising.
“Dad.””
“I know.””
“No, you don’t.””
My voice cracked.
“You keep saying you know, but you keep leaving out the parts that matter.””
My father looked devastated.
“I was wrong.””
“You let Lauren know there was evidence.””
“Yes.””
“You let her near us.””
“Yes.””
“You hid things from me.””
“Yes.””
Each answer hurt.
Because he wasn’t fighting anymore.
He was admitting it.
And somehow that made it worse.
James stepped closer.
“Who had access to the camera system?””
My father answered quietly.
“Your sister.””
I froze.
“What?””
“She helped set it up.””
I remembered.
Months earlier, Lauren had come over pretending to be helpful.
She carried boxes.
She organized things.
She played the role of the caring sister.
“She knew the passwords?””
My father nodded.
“Probably.””
My phone buzzed again.
Another unknown number.
This time, it was a video file.
My heart stopped.
James looked at me.
“Don’t open it alone.””
I nodded.
We sat together.
I pressed play.
The screen showed our living room.
The timestamp was Thanksgiving night.
My breath caught.
There was Lauren.
Standing inside our house.
Holding the camera.
She wasn’t alone.
Someone else walked into frame.
I leaned closer.
Then I felt my entire body go cold.
Because I recognized the person.
It was my mother.
“What?””
James looked shocked.
The video continued.
My mother handed Lauren something.
A small envelope.
Lauren laughed.
Then said something we couldn’t hear.
The audio was damaged.
But then my mother turned toward the camera.
And her face was visible.
She knew exactly where it was.
She looked directly at it.
Then she walked forward.
And covered the lens.
The screen went black.
Nobody spoke.
Not even James.
My father looked like he had aged ten years.
“I didn’t know.””
I stared at him.
“Dad.””
“I swear.””
My voice shook.
“Then why did Mom help her?””
He didn’t answer.
Because he didn’t know.
And that was the most terrifying part.
My phone rang.
Detective Harris.
I answered immediately.
“Hello?””
Her voice was urgent.
“Mrs. Walker, where did you get that video?””
I looked at James.
“How do you know about it?””
A pause.
Then:
“Because your sister just turned herself in.””
My heart stopped.
“What?””
“She claims she has evidence against you.””
I gripped the phone.
“Evidence of what?””
Detective Harris was silent.
Then she said:
“Child endangerment.””
I looked at Emma’s nursery door.
May you like
And I realized Lauren wasn’t trying to escape punishment.
She was trying to take us down with her.
