Chapter 11 - CALEB’S BACKUP
Caleb disappeared from social media the next day.
His parents told everyone he needed a break.
I didn’t believe them.
He had recorded the most important evidence in the case.
He was seventeen.
And half the family blamed him for “destroying” Lauren’s life.
Ethan called him.
No answer.
Detective Ruiz sent an officer to his house.
Caleb was safe.
But terrified.
His father had taken his phone.
Luckily, Caleb was smarter than everyone expected.
He had automatically backed up his videos.
There was another recording.
It started eleven minutes before Lauren attacked me.
Caleb had been filming the barbecue decorations for his girlfriend.
He forgot to stop recording before placing his phone on a chair.
The camera faced the patio.
The audio was imperfect.
But clear enough.
My mother’s voice came first.
“She will not sign willingly.”
My father answered.
“Then scare her.”
Lauren spoke next.
“What do you want me to do?”
My mother lowered her voice.
“We just need time.”
Lauren sounded nervous.
“You said the vitamins were supposed to handle it.”
I stopped breathing.
Ethan grabbed my hand.
My father hissed.
“Keep your voice down.”
Then came the sentence that destroyed the last illusion I had left.
My mother said.
“If Hannah reaches delivery with that baby healthy, we lose everything.”
Nobody spoke for several seconds.
Then Lauren asked.
“What if I just make her go to the hospital?”
My father answered.
“Do whatever you have to do.”
The recording ended shortly afterward.
Lauren had known about the vitamins.
Maybe she hadn’t prepared them.
Maybe she didn’t understand exactly what was inside them.
But she knew there was already a plan.
The kick wasn’t sudden rage.
It was a decision.
Detective Ruiz took the new recording to the prosecutor.
Lauren’s assault charge was upgraded.
My parents became subjects of a criminal conspiracy investigation.
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For the first time, the family stopped calling me.
They started calling lawyers.
