Chapter 8 - SOMEONE WAS WATCHING US
Nora lived on the ninth floor.
The photograph could only have been taken from one of three buildings across the avenue.
Mara called the police and the building manager.
Within an hour, security reviewed footage from the lobby, loading dock, parking garage, and service entrance.
No stranger had reached our floor.
The envelope had been left by a food-delivery courier who said a woman in a gray coat paid him twenty dollars to place it outside apartment 9C.
The woman wore sunglasses and a medical mask.
Brooke owned a gray coat.
So did half of Chicago.
The more useful evidence came from the photograph itself.
A reflection in the glass showed part of the room where the photographer had been standing.
A red neon letter.
A brass railing.
Nora recognized it.
"The rooftop lounge at the Stanton Hotel."
The Stanton sat directly across from her building.
Mara's investigator obtained the hotel's hallway footage after police requested preservation.
At 4:12 p.m., Brooke stepped out of elevator twelve carrying a long-lens camera bag.
At 5:03, she left the rooftop floor.
At 5:19, the delivery courier entered Nora's building with the envelope.
Brooke had not simply threatened us.
She had documented herself doing it.
When police questioned her, Brooke claimed she was "collecting evidence" that I had placed Lily in an unsafe apartment near large windows.
Mara called that explanation "a confession wearing lipstick."
The judge expanded the protection order to include Brooke.
But the pressure kept building.
Jason's supervised visit with Lily was scheduled for Friday at a family center.
Lily's therapist, Dr. Priya Shah, prepared her gently.
"Daddy will be there," I said.
Lily pressed both palms over her ears.
"Grandma no."
"Grandma will not be there."
"Daddy bring Grandma."
My heart stopped.
"Did Daddy bring Grandma somewhere before?"
Lily stared at the floor.
At two years old, she did not have the language for timelines or explanations.
She only had fragments.
"Daddy say secret," she whispered.
Dr. Shah did not push.
She wrote the words down.
Friday morning, Jason arrived for the visit with a social worker present.
He brought crayons, a toy train, and Lily's favorite crackers.
For ten minutes, Lily refused to leave my lap.
Then she slowly moved toward the toy train.
Jason smiled.
"Hi, bug. Daddy missed you."
Lily looked at him.
Then at the observation-room mirror.
Then she said four words.
"Daddy locked the door."
Jason's smile disappeared.
May you like
The social worker stopped the visit.
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