Chapter 3 - THE MISSING FOOTAGE
The security room occupied the lower level of the mansion.
Roberto had installed the system after Elena’s death.
Forty-two cameras covered the property.
Exterior gates.
Hallways.
Common rooms.
The kitchen.
Staircases.
Every entrance.
He had believed cameras meant safety.
That illusion lasted exactly four minutes.
The head of security, Tomas Rivera, stared at the monitors.
“There are gaps.”
Roberto stood behind him.
“What kind of gaps?”
“Interior recordings.”
Tomas pulled up the archive.
“Most cameras record continuously.”
“But someone has been deleting segments.”
Roberto’s jaw tightened.
“Which segments?”
Tomas selected the living room camera.
June 7.
Missing from 7:14 p.m. until 9:02 p.m.
Roberto remembered that night.
He had been at a charity dinner downtown.
Vanessa had texted him at 8:30 saying Sofía was asleep early because she had been “emotionally difficult.”
Another date.
Another gap.
Another evening Roberto had been away.
Tomas looked increasingly uncomfortable.
“This has been happening for months.”
“Who can delete footage?”
“You.”
“You.”
“And Mrs. Salazar.”
Vanessa.
Roberto stared at him.
“Why does she have administrator access?”
“You authorized it last year.”
He remembered.
Vanessa had complained that she felt unsafe when Roberto traveled.
He had given her full access without thinking twice.
“Tomas.”
“Yes, sir?”
“Can deleted footage be recovered?”
“Sometimes.”
“Do it.”
Roberto turned to leave.
Tomas stopped him.
“There’s something else.”
He brought up a system log.
“Someone changed the password for the nursery hallway camera eight weeks ago.”
“Nursery hallway?”
“That camera covers Sofía’s room.”
Roberto’s voice dropped.
“Who changed it?”
Tomas hesitated.
“Mrs. Salazar’s account.”
Roberto felt rage rising.
He forced it down.
Anger would not protect Sofía.
Evidence would.
“Back up everything immediately.”
“Off-site.”
“Vanessa cannot know.”
Tomas nodded.
Roberto went upstairs.
Vanessa was waiting in the library.
She had changed out of the red silk dress.
Now she wore a cream sweater and soft trousers.
The transformation was deliberate.
Less threatening.
More vulnerable.
She had even removed her makeup.
“Can we talk?”
Roberto remained standing.
“You can.”
Vanessa clasped her hands.
“I lost my temper.”
“That is not an excuse.”
“No.”
Her voice cracked perfectly.
“I’ve been overwhelmed.”
“By a seven-year-old?”
“That isn’t fair.”
“What isn’t fair is telling my blind daughter that her mother died because of her.”
Vanessa’s face changed.
Only slightly.
But Roberto saw it.
“I never said that.”
“She says you did.”
“Children misunderstand things.”
“María heard you?”
“María hates me.”
“Why?”
“Because she thinks she owns this family.”
Roberto almost laughed.
Instead he watched Vanessa carefully.
She continued.
“She has been manipulating Sofía.”
“She wants you dependent on her.”
“Tonight was a setup.”
“A setup?”
“Yes.”
Vanessa stepped closer.
“Think about it.”
“You arrive unexpectedly.”
“María happens to be kneeling dramatically.”
“Sofía happens to be crying.”
“And suddenly I’m the monster.”
Roberto stared at her.
A year ago, he might have considered the possibility.
Tonight he remembered Sofía asking whether Vanessa could lock her door again.
“No.”
Vanessa swallowed.
“No what?”
“No more explanations tonight.”
He turned away.
Vanessa’s voice became colder.
“Be careful, Roberto.”
He looked back.
“With what?”
“You’re emotional.”
“You could destroy this family based on the word of a frightened child and a jealous servant.”
Roberto walked closer until only a few feet separated them.
“That frightened child is my family.”
Vanessa’s expression hardened.
For just one second, the mask disappeared.
Then Roberto’s phone vibrated.
A message from Tomas.
RECOVERED ONE CLIP.
NEED YOU DOWNSTAIRS.
Roberto looked at Vanessa.
She smiled faintly.
“What is it?”
He slipped the phone back into his pocket.
“Nothing.”
But downstairs, a deleted video was waiting.
May you like
And on that video, Vanessa was holding Sofía’s cup.
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