Chapter 2 - THE CAMERA
For the next three hours, nobody told me everything.
They told me enough to keep me from collapsing.
But never enough to make the nightmare make sense.
Mason was transferred to a pediatric observation room.
A social worker arrived.
Then another detective.
Then someone from child protective services.
Every person asked the same questions in a slightly different way.
Who lived in the apartment?
How often did I see Mason?
Had I noticed injuries before?
Had Thomas ever behaved strangely?
Had Ellie ever asked me to keep secrets?
I answered honestly.
Then one question stopped me.
“Did Thomas ever tell you not to photograph Mason?”
I stared at the social worker.
“Yes.”
Her expression changed.
“When?”
“Last month.”
“Why?”
“He said Ellie didn't like people posting pictures of Mason online.”
The social worker exchanged a glance with the detective.
“That could be innocent,” she said.
“But?”
“But we're looking at the whole picture now.”
She opened a folder.
Inside were printed photographs.
Mason.
Sleeping.
Bathing.
Being held.
Wrapped in blankets.
I looked at the dates.
Some were from weeks earlier.
One showed his stomach.
I stared at it.
There was a faint yellowish mark beneath his ribs.
I had never seen it before.
“Who took these?”
“The hospital received them from your daughter-in-law's phone backup.”
My heart stopped.
“Ellie?”
“Yes.”
“Why would she photograph his injuries?”
“We don't know.”
I looked again.
Another photograph showed Mason's arm.
There was a faint bruise.
Another showed his back.
A small discoloration.
They had been documenting something.
But why?
Then Detective Reed entered.
“We found something at the apartment.”
“What?”
“A camera.”
My stomach dropped.
“What kind?”
“A small indoor security camera.”
“Where?”
“In the nursery.”
I almost laughed from disbelief.
“That's normal.”
“It would be, except your son told officers there wasn't a camera in that room.”
My blood ran cold.
“Where was it?”
“Behind a stuffed animal.”
He placed a photograph in front of me.
The camera was tiny.
Almost invisible.
“Who was it recording?”
“We don't know yet.”
“What do you mean?”
“The device stores footage remotely.”
He paused.
“We're obtaining the account information.”
My hands began shaking.
Then his phone rang.
He answered.
Listened.
His expression hardened.
“Understood.”
He hung up.
“What?”
“The account is registered to someone else.”
“Who?”
He looked at me.
“Your son's employer.”
I frowned.
“Thomas works for a medical equipment company.”
“We know.”
“Why would his employer have access to a camera in his baby's nursery?”
“We don't know.”
The room suddenly felt too small.
I remembered Thomas telling me about his job.
Long hours.
Travel.
Clients.
Private medical facilities.
He had always described himself as a successful salesman.
But now the pieces weren't fitting.
“Detective…”
“Yes?”
“Could Thomas have been involved in something illegal?”
He didn't answer immediately.
“That is one of the questions we're investigating.”
My phone rang.
Ellie.
I stared at the screen.
For several seconds, I couldn't move.
Then I answered.
“Hello?”
Her breathing was uneven.
“Where is Mason?”
“In the hospital.”
“I know.”
“Then why are you asking?”
Silence.
“Mom…”
She had never called me Mom before.
Something about the word made my chest tighten.
“Ellie, what happened to my grandson?”
“I can't talk.”
“Why?”
“I need you to listen to me.”
Her voice dropped to a whisper.
“Don't trust Thomas.”
I stood so quickly the chair scraped backward.
“What?”
“Don't let him talk to you alone.”
“Ellie, tell me what happened.”
“I tried to stop him.”
“Stop him from what?”
“He said it was temporary.”
My heart hammered.
“What was temporary?”
She started crying.
Then she whispered:
“Everything.”
The call ended.
I stared at the phone.
Detective Reed had heard every word.
“Can you trace that?”
“We'll try.”
Then another officer entered.
“Detective, Thomas is outside.”
My blood turned cold.
“He's here?”
“Yes.”
“Is he alone?”
The officer shook his head.
“No.”
“Who is with him?”
The officer hesitated.
“A man from his company.”
I looked toward Mason's room.
For the first time, I realized something terrifying.
Thomas hadn't come to see his son.
He had come because he knew the truth was beginning to surface.
May you like
And whatever he was trying to hide…
he was running out of time.
