Chapter 1: The Trap Was Never the Fall
Detective Daniel Ruiz arrived less than four minutes later.
Not alone.
Two patrol cars.
A crime scene unit.
And an ambulance already waiting outside the estate.
The caretaker blinked in confusion.
"Why are there so many officers?"
Ruiz ignored the question.
His eyes immediately found the pregnant woman still lying on the staircase.
"Ms. Eleanor Hayes," he said calmly. "Can you hear me?"
She opened her eyes.
"Right on time."
The blonde woman froze.
"...You know him?"
Ruiz nodded to two officers.
"Separate everyone."
"What?" the blonde woman cried. "I'm the victim! She attacked me!"
Ruiz didn't even look at her.
Instead, he crouched beside Eleanor.
"Did she push you?"
Eleanor nodded once.
"Just like we discussed."
The room became silent.
The blonde woman's face drained of color.
"What... what do you mean, discussed?"
Ruiz slowly stood.
"For the last three months," he said, "Mrs. Hayes has been cooperating with an ongoing criminal investigation."
Every eye widened.
"The assault today was expected."
"No..." whispered the blonde woman.
"Impossible."
Ruiz removed a warrant from his jacket.
"We've been waiting for someone to finally act."
The blonde woman—Vanessa Caldwell—laughed nervously.
"This is insane."
Ruiz answered by pointing toward the ceiling.
"Every camera in this house has been replaced with police-monitored equipment."
Vanessa stared upward.
Her smile disappeared.
"Your fingerprints are on the railing."
"The audio captured every threat."
"And Mrs. Hayes has worn a concealed recording device for six weeks."
Vanessa stumbled backward.
"No..."
She suddenly realized...
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The staircase had never been the trap.
She was.
