Chapter 5 - Julian’s Voice
They listened inside Ethan’s car.
Julian Hart’s voice was faint at first.
He sounded tired.
“Claire, if you get this, I need you to keep it.”
There was movement in the background.
A door closing.
Then Julian continued.
“Vanessa changed the insurance paperwork.”
Ethan looked at Claire.
She nodded.
The recording continued.
“She keeps telling people I’m unstable.”
A pause.
“I’m not.”
Then another voice appeared.
Vanessa.
Distant.
Sharp.
“Who are you talking to?”
Julian lowered his voice.
“I have to go.”
Footsteps approached.
Then Vanessa’s voice became clearer.
“You really want to do this again?”
Julian replied.
“I want you out of the house.”
Silence.
Then Vanessa said something that made Ethan’s skin turn cold.
“You should be careful what you say when nobody is going to believe you.”
The recording ended.
Ethan stared at the phone.
“Did police hear this?”
“Not this version.”
Claire looked ashamed.
“I gave them Julian’s laptop after he died.”
“The recording wasn’t there?”
“There was an earlier version.”
“What happened to the last part?”
“I don’t know.”
Claire swallowed.
“I found this phone inside a storage box after our mother died.”
“Why didn’t you go to police immediately?”
“I did.”
“When?”
“Three weeks ago.”
That explained the call.
Claire continued.
“The detective who handled Julian’s case retired.”
“A new investigator is reviewing it.”
“Does Vanessa know?”
“I don’t think so.”
Ethan almost laughed.
“She knows something.”
Claire frowned.
“Why?”
“Because she tried deleting my security footage last night.”
Claire went pale.
“Your daughter?”
“I don’t know how much is recorded yet.”
His phone rang.
Noah.
Ethan answered.
“We recovered one deleted segment.”
“What does it show?”
“It’s from six weeks ago.”
“Is Sophie in it?”
“Yes.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“What happens?”
Noah hesitated.
“Ethan, I think you should watch this privately.”
“Tell me.”
“It shows Vanessa taking Sophie into the blue room.”
Ethan’s breathing changed.
“Then what?”
“She closes the door.”
“How long?”
“Forty-seven minutes.”
“Can you see inside?”
“No.”
“Can you hear anything?”
Another pause.
“Some audio survived.”
Ethan gripped the steering wheel.
“What audio?”
Noah answered carefully.
“Sophie crying.”
Ethan said nothing.
May you like
Then Noah added:
“And Vanessa telling her that if she keeps lying, her father will stop loving her.”
