Chapter 2 (Part 2) The House of Lies
Chapter 2 (Part 2)
The House of Lies
Detective Rose stared at the phone for several long seconds.
The cloud backup had finished less than ten minutes earlier.
Whoever had hidden the device had made one critical mistake.
They had destroyed the security system.
They had wiped computers.
They had erased messages.
But they had forgotten one thing.
The cloud never forgot.
Rose carefully handed the phone to the digital forensics specialist.
"I want every file duplicated."
"Yes, Detective."
"No one touches the original."
Within minutes, a laptop was connected to the encrypted account.
Folders began appearing one after another.
January.
February.
March.
Every month.
Every year.
Daniel watched the screen in confusion.
"What is all this?"
Rose clicked the oldest folder.
The timestamp read:
Three years, eleven months ago.
The first video began.
Emma's smiling face appeared on the screen.
She looked healthier.
Her eyes were brighter.
She was standing inside the mansion's kitchen.
"If anyone ever watches this..."
She forced a smile.
"...I hope I'm just being paranoid."
She laughed nervously.
"Margaret says I'm too sensitive."
"But something doesn't feel right."
The recording ended.
Silence filled the room.
Rose opened another file.
Three months later.
Emma's smile had disappeared.
The camera shook slightly.
"I found money missing from my account today."
"I asked Daniel about it."
"He said I probably forgot spending it."
She looked toward the bedroom door before whispering,
"I didn't."
Another pause.
"If something happens to me..."
"...please don't believe it was an accident."
Daniel stared at the screen.
"What?"
He turned toward his mother.
"Mom..."
Margaret folded her arms.
"She's exaggerating."
Rose ignored her.
Another video played.
Emma sat inside her parked car.
Her right cheek was swollen.
She gently touched the bruise.
"Margaret said I walked into a cabinet."
She gave a bitter laugh.
"I've apparently walked into six cabinets this year."
Officer Grant quietly looked away.
No one laughed.
Another video.
Emma sat inside the nursery.
Boxes of baby clothes surrounded her.
She smiled softly.
"If you're watching this..."
"...maybe you're my baby."
Tears filled her eyes.
"I hope you never learn how lonely your mother was."
She rubbed her stomach.
"I love you more than anything."
"I promise..."
"I'll protect you."
Her voice broke.
"Even if nobody protects me."
Daniel covered his mouth.
He had never seen the recording.
Never heard those words.
Never realized how alone she had been.
Rose opened another folder.
This one contained photographs instead of videos.
Hundreds of them.
Medical reports.
Emergency room visits.
Prescription records.
Copies of text messages.
Bank statements.
One folder carried a simple title.
Evidence Against Margaret.
Rose opened it.
Inside...
Twenty-seven separate incidents.
Each documented.
Each dated.
Each supported by photographs.
Officer Grant looked stunned.
"She organized everything."
Rose nodded.
"Like she expected today."
Daniel slowly sat down.
His legs no longer supported him.
"This..."
"This can't be real."
Rose answered quietly.
"It is."
He looked toward his mother.
"Tell me she's lying."
Margaret remained perfectly still.
Then she spoke with frightening calm.
"Marriage is difficult."
Daniel blinked.
"What?"
"Every family argues."
"Mom..."
"She's emotional."
Daniel stood.
"No."
His voice became louder.
"The bruises?"
Margaret shrugged.
"She bruised easily."
"The broken wrist?"
"She slipped."
"The missing money?"
"Family finances."
"The videos?"
"Attention seeking."
Daniel stared at the woman who had raised him.
For the first time in thirty-seven years...
He didn't recognize her.
The digital forensic specialist interrupted.
"Detective."
Rose walked over.
"What did you find?"
He enlarged a folder.
"This one is encrypted separately."
Rose entered the password recovered from Emma's cloud account.
The folder opened.
Its title froze everyone in the room.
If They Try To Kill Me
Inside...
Three videos.
Rose clicked the first.
Emma appeared sitting inside Detective Rose's office.
The date shocked everyone.
Eight months ago.
"I don't think they'll stop."
Emma spoke quietly.
"They've become more confident."
Rose's voice came from behind the camera.
"Why not leave?"
Emma looked down.
"Daniel."
"You still love him."
"Yes."
"And the baby."
She smiled sadly.
"I keep hoping becoming grandparents will change them."
Rose asked gently,
"And if it doesn't?"
Emma looked directly into the camera.
"Then promise me..."
"If anything happens..."
"...don't let them call it an accident."
The video ended.
Daniel burst into tears.
"No..."
His voice barely existed.
"No..."
He remembered that day.
Emma had said she was going shopping.
Instead...
She had gone to the police.
Without telling him.
Because she no longer trusted him.
That realization hurt more than anything.
Rose opened the second video.
Emma sat in the same chair.
One month later.
"The stairs."
Rose frowned.
"What about them?"
Emma smiled nervously.
"Margaret keeps leaving things on the landing."
"I nearly fell twice."
"Do you think it's intentional?"
Emma hesitated.
"I don't know."
"But I started counting."
Rose leaned forward.
"Counting what?"
"The accidents."
Emma opened a notebook.
"There have been eleven."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Eleven.
He remembered every one.
Coffee spilled.
Loose rugs.
Broken railings.
Wet floors.
He had believed every explanation.
Rose finally opened the third video.
Emma looked exhausted.
Eight months pregnant.
The date...
Yesterday.
"If you're watching this..."
"...then it finally happened."
She gently touched her stomach.
"I don't know whether I'll survive."
"But if my baby does..."
She smiled through tears.
"Tell them I fought."
"Tell them their mother never stopped fighting."
She reached toward the camera.
"And tell Daniel..."
Long silence.
"I forgive him."
Daniel collapsed into a chair.
Sobbing uncontrollably.
Officer Grant quietly approached Rose.
"The hospital just called."
Rose immediately answered.
"This is Bennett."
The doctor's voice sounded urgent.
"They're taking Mrs. Lawson into emergency surgery."
Rose closed her eyes.
"And the baby?"
"We still have a heartbeat."
Relief spread across the room.
"But..."
Rose's stomach tightened.
"But what?"
The doctor hesitated.
"We found something during her examination."
"What?"
"Mrs. Lawson wasn't injured only today."
Rose frowned.
"What do you mean?"
"There are dozens of older fractures."
Silence.
The doctor continued.
"Several ribs."
"Her collarbone."
"Healed fractures in both wrists."
"Evidence of repeated physical trauma over several years."
Rose slowly looked toward Margaret.
The older woman finally appeared nervous.
The doctor finished quietly.
"Detective..."
"Someone has been abusing Mrs. Lawson for a very long time."
Rose thanked him and ended the call.
She walked back into the study.
Everyone looked at her.
"The hospital confirmed chronic abuse."
Daniel whispered,
"No..."
Rose nodded once.
"It wasn't one attack."
"It was years."
She turned toward two uniformed officers.
"Margaret Lawson."
The older woman stood perfectly still.
"You are under arrest for financial fraud, coercive control, elder abuse statutes relating to domestic violence, witness intimidation..."
She paused.
"...and attempted murder."
One officer stepped forward with handcuffs.
Margaret laughed.
A cold.
Empty laugh.
"You think you've won?"
Rose didn't answer.
Margaret looked directly at Daniel.
"Tell them."
Daniel couldn't speak.
"Daniel!"
His eyes met hers.
For the first time...
He stepped backward.
Away from his mother.
"I don't know you anymore."
The words hit harder than the handcuffs ever could.
As officers led Margaret toward the front door, she suddenly smiled.
"You still don't understand."
Rose stopped walking.
"What?"
Margaret looked over her shoulder.
"I wasn't the one who started this."
The detective narrowed her eyes.
"What are you talking about?"
Margaret's smile widened.
"You've arrested the wrong mastermind."
May you like
Then she whispered five words that sent a chill through every person in the mansion.
"Savannah isn't who you think."
