Chapter 3 - THE ROOM THAT WATCHED
Dr. Patel examined Lily inside the mobile medical unit while Arthur stood outside the glass partition.
“She has two cracked ribs,” the doctor said. “Older injuries too. Different stages of healing.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
“How many?”
“At least four separate incidents.”
Lily stared at the floor. “There were more.”
Arthur sat beside her. “Why didn’t you call me?”
Richard’s words came out through her voice. “He said he’d destroy you. He said Mom’s pension could be challenged. He said your house could be taken.”
Arthur felt a slow, cold anger spread through him.
“Lily, look at me. None of this is your fault.”
She finally raised her eyes. “You don’t know what he has.”
“What does he have?”
“A file about you.”
Arthur went still.
Outside, agents carried computers and hard drives from the mansion. Guests were being separated for interviews. Margaret screamed about lawsuits while Richard stood silent near the fountain.
The silver-haired woman, Deputy Director Mara Cole, entered the medical unit.
“We opened the smoke-detector archive,” she said. “It contains audio and video from three rooms. The files were automatically copied to an offshore server.”
“Why would Richard record himself?” Arthur asked.
“He may not have installed the system.”
Lily’s fingers tightened around the blanket.
“Margaret did,” she said.
Arthur turned toward her.
“She told me once that every family needs insurance. She recorded Richard, me, the staff, business meetings—everyone.”
Mara placed a tablet on the table and played a short clip.
Margaret’s voice filled the room.
“If Lily leaves, use the psychiatric packet. If Arthur interferes, release the Harrington file.”
Richard answered, “The Harrington file is old.”
“Old secrets still ruin lives.”
Arthur stopped the video.
He had not heard that name in twenty-three years.
Mara studied him. “Does Harrington mean something to you?”
Arthur looked through the glass at Richard.
“Yes,” he said. “It means this started long before Lily married him.”
Then an agent rushed into the unit.
“Director, the offshore archive is deleting itself.”
Mara grabbed the tablet. “Can you stop it?”
“We have ninety seconds.”
Arthur looked at Lily, then at the black case on the seat.
For fifteen years, he had promised never to return to the world that had taken so much from him.
Now that world was the only thing standing between his daughter and the truth.
May you like
He picked up the authentication card.
“Connect me to Raven.”
