Chapter 10 - Charles’s Explanation
Charles did move Emma.
But he claimed she asked him to.
He found her disoriented and nauseated.
She said:
“Get me away from this room. Whoever is drugging me knows I'm here.”
He used old transport chair because she could not walk steadily.
Why not call ambulance?
Emma refused.
Why obey?
Because Charles feared publicity around confidential Site C housing files.
Again cowardice.
He moved Emma to upstairs unused dressing room behind east guest suite.
He brought water.
Did he drug it?
“No.”
Toxicology from bottle found no sedative.
Charles’s store purchase could be unrelated.
Then what made Emma drowsy?
She had been taking prescription sleep aid herself? Medical records showed intermittent doxylamine use during stress.
Emma could have taken it voluntarily.
Her own toiletry bag in corridor contained same brand.
That changed interpretation.
Lily’s “Mommy sleeps after juice” did not prove poisoning.
Emma may have taken sleep medication herself.
Then Claire? no.
So maybe no one drugged Emma at all.
Could her repeated sleepiness be self-medication plus exhaustion.
Important.
But someone still locked doors.
Charles moved her to dressing room.
What happened next?
He left at 4:10 a.m.
At 4:33 another person entered.
Camera caught Vanessa.
Vanessa admitted.
She had followed Charles.
Found Emma asleep.
They argued when Emma woke.
Emma accused Vanessa of manipulating Ethan.
Vanessa accused Emma of tearing family apart.
Did Vanessa move her?
“No.”
She left.
At 5:02 Catherine entered.
Catherine admitted.
Emma asked Catherine take her back to dining corridor because she had finally realized ring hatch could reach Lily.
That explains why Emma was behind wall on dinner day.
Catherine moved her.
So no secret captor moving Emma among rooms?
Lily had seen several adults moving her, mostly with Emma's consent.
Then why “don’t let them move Mommy again”?
Because from a four-year-old perspective, adults repeatedly escorted mother through walls.
Emma herself may have told Lily not let them move her? Need central mystery maybe there is still an actual person trying to move her once.
Catherine said at 6:20 p.m., just before dinner, Emma planned emerge and confront family.
Then somebody entered corridor.
Catherine heard male voice and hid behind pantry panel.
Voice:
“You cannot come out yet.”
Emma:
“You don't decide that.”
Man:
“If Lily sees you, this ends badly.”
Then struggle sound.
Catherine tried enter.
Door locked from other side.
By time she opened secondary access, Emma gone.
That was first clearly involuntary movement.
Who man?
Catherine couldn't see.
But voice familiar.
Not Charles.
Not Ethan.
Not Richard.
Not Samuel.
“Who?”
Catherine looked toward Officer Hayes.
“Daniel.”
Everyone stared.
Hayes denied.
Body camera/dispatch? At 6:20 he was on duty five miles away? GPS showed patrol vehicle nearby but not enough.
Hayes’s bodycam had been off for twenty-two minutes due battery replacement.
Could be him.
Then Lily had said Officer Daniel was good.
Would Emma trust him enough to let approach?
Yes.
Hayes admitted something.
He had gone to mansion before dinner.
Anonymous text:
EMMA IS IN DANGER. SERVICE DOOR OPEN.
He came without logging call.
Again procedural failure.
He entered corridor.
Found Emma.
They argued.
“I told her to leave through service door with me.”
“Did you say she couldn't come out?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Dining room was filling with guests. I didn't want her confronting suspects publicly while child present.”
“Did you move her?”
“She refused. I took her arm. She pulled away.”
“Then?”
“She said Lily already had ring.”
Hayes realized child involved.
He decided remove Lily first from crowded scene while backup arranged.
That explains welfare response? Wait he later officially enters during dinner due anonymous call. He was already there. Could have exited then dispatch assigned him to call. Need timeline: He left corridor to request official welfare check anonymously? Better he called his sergeant and reported child welfare concern, but dispatch record anonymous? Hmm.
Maybe Hayes himself triggered welfare call through official request but source obscured? User prompt says officer enters. Fine.
Hayes said he left Emma in corridor and went outside to call supervisor. During that interval anonymous caller reported Lily unattended, and dispatch assigned Hayes back because nearest. Coincidence suspicious but possible. He returned through front door formally.
When he returned, Emma was gone.
So Hayes was not mover.
Then who took Emma in those minutes?
Service camera had one final frame.
A woman.
White formal dress.
May you like
At dinner only one woman wore white:
Vanessa.
