Chapter 4 - The Second Key.
Daniel insisted he had not entered the service office at 6:31.
Charles wanted to believe him.
The problem was that belief had already failed Eli once that day.
He copied the remaining footage to a secure drive and locked it inside his coat pocket.
Then he returned to the guest suite.
Dr. Bennett had arrived and was examining Eli near the fireplace.
The doctor spoke quietly with Charles afterward.
Eli needed rest, warmth, fluids, and close observation, but he was alert and improving.
Charles felt some of the pressure in his chest loosen.
He thanked the doctor and returned to the boy.
Eli was holding the navy sneaker Charles had found.
"Where was this?"
Charles sat beside him.
"In the foyer."
Eli touched the tape on the sole.
"Vanessa wrote that."
Charles kept his voice steady.
"Why?"
"She said I kept running into the house because my feet hurt."
Charles closed his eyes for one second.
"Did she let you inside at all?"
Eli hesitated.
That hesitation brought Charles's attention sharply back to him.
"You can tell me."
"One time."
"When?"
"When it got dark."
Charles remembered the missing forty-three minutes.
"What happened?"
Eli glanced at the doorway.
Nora quietly closed it.
The boy lowered his voice.
"Vanessa brought me into Dad's office."
"Why?"
"She wanted me to say something into her phone."
Charles felt a cold anger spread through him.
"What did she want you to say?"
Eli looked confused, trying to remember exact words.
"That I went outside because I was mad."
"Did you say it?"
"I said no."
"Then what happened?"
"Dad came in."
Charles's eyes moved toward Daniel, who stood near the fireplace.
Daniel looked stunned.
"I wasn't in the office with him."
Eli looked at his father.
"You came to the door."
Daniel frowned.
"Eli, I never saw you in my office tonight."
The boy became frightened.
Charles immediately raised a hand.
"Nobody is accusing you, Eli."
He looked at Daniel.
"And nobody is going to pressure him."
Daniel nodded and stepped back.
Eli continued.
"Vanessa told Dad to go away."
"Did you see your dad?"
"Just his sweater through the glass."
Daniel wore a dark sweater that evening.
So did several household staff members when working outside.
Charles did not draw conclusions yet.
"What happened after that?"
"Vanessa got mad because I wouldn't say the words."
Eli's voice became smaller.
"Then she put me back outside."
Charles stared at the fire.
The missing footage was no longer a technical mystery.
It was evidence of an attempt to create a false story.
Nora suddenly spoke.
"Mr. Mercer, there may be another recording."
Everyone turned toward her.
"The camera system has a maintenance mirror."
Charles frowned.
"Where?"
"The old gatehouse."
Daniel looked at her.
"I thought the gatehouse system was disconnected years ago."
"The video line was."
Nora reached into her pocket and removed an old silver key.
"The maintenance technician kept a local recorder there after the renovation."
Charles stared at the key.
"Does Vanessa know?"
Nora shook her head.
"I doubt anyone does anymore."
A soft sound came from the hallway.
A floorboard creaked.
Charles opened the guest room door.
The corridor was empty.
At the far end, the library door slowly swung closed.
Nora's expression changed.
"Someone was listening."
Charles looked down at the silver key in her hand.
Then the mansion lights went out.
For three seconds, everything disappeared into darkness.
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When the emergency lights flickered on, Nora looked at her palm.
The silver key was gone.
