Chapter 2 - Four People Entered the Night
Detective Daniel Hayes arrived before dawn.
The grand Carter villa looked as though someone had torn a black wound through its eastern side.
The explosion had damaged dining area, part of foyer and lower staircase, but structure remained standing.
Fire crews found Margaret alive near rear corridor.
Claire was discovered beneath overturned dining table, injured but conscious.
Richard was missing.
Emily was missing.
Two survivors.
Two unaccounted for.
Margaret repeatedly asked one question:
“Where’s Richard?”
She never asked about Emily.
Daniel noticed.
Claire did.
At hospital Claire gave first coherent statement.
“My sister tried to kill us.”
“Why?”
“She’s unstable.”
“Had she threatened family before?”
“No.”
“Owned weapons?”
“I don't know.”
“You watched her throw object?”
“Yes.”
“And explosion followed?”
“Yes.”
Reasonable.
Simple.
Almost too simple.
Then bomb investigators found something inconsistent.
Daniel wasn't given every technical detail immediately, only conclusion:
The object Emily threw was recovered damaged but identifiable.
It was not responsible for primary structural blast.
Daniel stared at investigator.
“You're certain?”
“Yes.”
“Then what was?”
“Separate source. Still under investigation.”
That changed everything.
Emily had apparently thrown what looked like grenade.
But something else caused explosion.
Coincidence?
Or setup?
Daniel returned to villa.
The mini-camera Emily had revealed survived because it fell behind staircase trim.
Its memory card contained video of Claire tampering with Emily’s food.
There was also audio.
Richard laughing.
Margaret insulting her.
No one attempting medical aid.
Police immediately treated poisoning allegation seriously.
Food remnants were collected.
Then investigators found second camera.
Not Emily’s.
A professional security unit hidden above dining-room molding.
Carter villa already had extensive cameras, but this one was not registered to household system.
It pointed directly at Emily’s usual nighttime eating area.
Someone else had been watching her.
Daniel asked Margaret.
She denied knowing.
Claire denied knowing.
Richard remained missing.
Then hospital toxicology confirmed Emily had consumed contaminated food capable of causing severe gastrointestinal illness.
Not an accidental spoiled meal.
Deliberate contamination.
Claire’s video made her immediate suspect.
She was placed under investigation.
Her confidence cracked.
“It was a joke.”
“A joke?”
“I didn't think she'd get that sick.”
“What did you put in food?”
Claire started crying.
Daniel didn't care whether tears were real.
“You watched your sister crawling for help.”
“My parents told me she was exaggerating.”
“And then you poured bottle out in front of her.”
Claire lowered eyes.
Daniel leaned closer.
“Why do you hate her?”
“I don't.”
“You poisoned her.”
“You don't understand Emily.”
“Then help me.”
Claire’s answer was strange.
“Emily destroyed everything before she was old enough to remember doing it.”
Daniel frowned.
“What does that mean?”
Claire immediately refused continue.
At villa, another officer called him toward Richard’s study.
Inside locked desk drawer they found financial documents.
One page listed all three Carter daughters.
Emily Carter.
Claire Carter.
Olivia Carter.
Daniel paused.
“There's another sister?”
Margaret had told officers family consisted of Richard, Margaret, Emily and Claire.
But records showed a third daughter.
Olivia, twenty-six.
Where was she?
Nobody knew.
Then Daniel noticed handwritten note beside Emily’s name.
DO NOT LET HER LEARN WHAT HAPPENS AT 30.
May you like
Emily was twenty-eight.
Two years away from something her father desperately wanted hidden.
