Chapter 11 - The Missing Eighteen Seconds
Evelyn spent the night under observation.
The baby’s heartbeat remained strong, and the doctors found no sign of early labor. Rosa had bruised her hands while holding the scarf, but she refused to leave Evelyn’s room until Mira promised to stay.
Daniel and Celeste were detained for questioning.
Neither was formally charged that night.
“The protected video shows Daniel locking the door,” Mira explained the next morning. “It shows Celeste meeting the contractor and instructing him to make sure you reached the rescue exit. It does not show anyone deliberately causing the table to strike the panel.”
“They still trapped us.”
“Yes. That is enough for several charges. But their attorneys are claiming the panel failure was an unknown defect.”
“Lila’s test results prove otherwise.”
“The memory card is damaged.”
Evelyn looked at her purse on the chair.
“What?”
“The edge was crushed during the rescue. A laboratory may recover it, but we need Lila to testify.”
“Has anyone found her?”
“No.”
Adrian appeared at the hospital door.
Rosa immediately stood.
“You should not be here.”
“I brought the security records.”
Mira allowed him inside but remained between him and Evelyn.
Adrian placed a tablet on the table.
“The protected recording has a gap.”
“How long?” Evelyn asked.
“Eighteen seconds.”
“When?”
“Immediately before the table moved.”
“Someone edited Aegis?”
“That should be impossible.”
“My father built it thirty years ago. Nothing is impossible to someone who has had thirty years to study it.”
Adrian opened the door log.
Three executive credentials had accessed the rescue system.
Daniel Hart.
Celeste Hart.
Nathan Vale.
Evelyn stared at the final name.
“My father is dead.”
“The credential was used at 9:14 last night,” Adrian said.
“Someone copied it.”
“Nathan’s access was biometric. It required a fingerprint and a voice phrase.”
Rosa sat slowly.
“What was the phrase?”
Adrian looked at her.
“The tower remembers.”
Those were the words Nathan had used when he gave Rosa the key.
Mira examined the record.
“Could Celeste have preserved his fingerprint?”
“The system requires body temperature and pulse response.”
“That means the log is false.”
“Or Nathan Vale’s credential was transferred to someone with equal authority.”
“Who?”
Adrian changed the screen.
A blurred image showed a figure entering a lower service tunnel during the gala.
The person wore a gray coat.
“Lila,” Evelyn said.
“Possibly.”
The door opened again.
Detective Torres entered with two officers.
“We found Daniel’s contractor,” she announced. “His name is Eric Sloan. He admits installing the altered panel.”
“Did Daniel order it?” Mira asked.
“Sloan received instructions through Northbridge. The payment came from an account controlled by Celeste.”
“Then charge her.”
“We intend to.”
Torres hesitated.
“There is another issue. Sloan claims the panel was not supposed to fail last night.”
Evelyn frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“He was instructed to prepare it for a later event.”
“The baby’s birth?”
“Possibly. Someone activated the destabilizing system early.”
“Celeste.”
“Sloan says Celeste did not possess the activation code.”
Adrian looked at the security record.
“Nathan’s credential.”
Torres nodded.
“Someone else turned a threat into an immediate emergency.”
Evelyn felt cold.
“Someone tried to expose Celeste by risking our lives.”
Mira looked toward the hospital corridor.
“Or someone wanted everyone focused on Celeste while the third Northbridge name disappeared.”
A guard brought Daniel into the room in handcuffs.
He had asked to speak with Evelyn before his formal interview.
Torres allowed him five minutes.
Daniel looked exhausted.
“I am sorry,” he said.
Evelyn did not answer.
“I believed the panel would only crack at the edge. My mother said fear would make you sign.”
“You turned the lock.”
“I know.”
“You walked away.”
“I know.”
“You do not get forgiveness because you finally understand what I already knew on that roof.”
Daniel lowered his head.
“My mother did not activate the panel.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“Because she was terrified when the table moved.”
“She is a skilled actress.”
“She is many things, but she does not pretend when she loses control.”
He glanced at Adrian.
“The missing third name belonged to someone my father called the Chairman.”
“Who?”
“I never knew.”
Daniel leaned closer.
“But I know one thing. My father used to say the Chairman died with Nathan Vale.”
Evelyn stared at him.
May you like
Daniel’s voice dropped.
“What if neither of them died?”
