Chapter 4 - Mason’s Copy
Mason had been making a superhero video the week before and had figured out how to mirror the home security feed to his tablet.
Michael would have grounded him for it under normal circumstances.
Nothing was normal anymore.
“I wanted the stairs in the background,” Mason said. “Then I forgot to turn the screen recording off.”
Detective Reese crouched beside him. “Can you show me?”
Mason opened a folder labeled COOL STUFF.
There were twelve videos.
The first showed Sophia entering the office the night before the shove.
The second captured the phone call.
The third was something no one had seen.
At 12:07 a.m., a man entered the office.
Tall. Gray coat. Silver hair.
Michael whispered, “Victor.”
Victor Hale closed the door behind him.
Sophia looked furious.
“She moved it,” Sophia said.
Victor answered, “Then scare her.”
“She’s eight months pregnant.”
“So?”
Michael’s hands curled into fists.
Sophia paced. “If she goes to the police—”
“She won’t. Michael will believe you before he believes her.”
The words hit harder than the slap Michael had already given.
Emily watched him absorb them.
Victor continued, “Your brother has spent his entire life protecting this family from outsiders. Use that.”
Sophia smiled.
Mason whispered, “That’s when I got scared.”
The video continued.
Sophia asked, “And the trust amendment?”
“Still missing.”
“What if Emily has that too?”
Victor leaned closer.
“Then your father didn’t die for nothing.”
Nobody spoke.
Reese replayed the sentence.
Then again.
Michael’s voice was barely audible. “My father’s brakes failed.”
Reese stood. “Do you still have the car?”
“It was totaled.”
“Who handled disposal?”
Michael already knew the answer.
“Victor.”
Emily closed her eyes.
Michael walked to the window, rage and shame fighting across his face.
“You were right,” he told her.
“That doesn’t fix what you did.”
“I know.”
Reese’s phone buzzed.
She checked the message.
Then her expression changed.
“What?” Michael asked.
“We pulled traffic cameras near Sophia’s condo.”
“And?”
“She didn’t go to the airport.”
Reese turned the phone around.
A grainy image showed Sophia climbing into Victor Hale’s black SUV.
The time stamp was 4:18 a.m.
Mason pointed at the background.
“Dad... I know that road.”
Michael stared.
So did he.
May you like
The SUV was headed toward the Carter family lake house.
The same lake house where Thomas Carter had spent his final night alive.
