Chapter 8 - THE MAN BEHIND THE CAMERASThe mansion went into lockdown.

Vincent ordered every guard to secure the entrances.

Nobody entered.

Nobody left.

The security system showed no breach.

That made Vincent more nervous than an alarm would have.

Dominic stood at the main console.

"The administrator account is still active."

"Location?"

"Unknown."

"Trace it."

"I'm trying."

Clara stood near Matteo.

The boy was holding his teddy bear.

Vincent noticed that Matteo wasn't looking at the cameras anymore.

He was watching Clara.

As if she was the only person in the room he trusted.

Vincent walked toward the console.

The hidden device was still there.

He picked it up.

"Who installed this?"

Dominic shook his head.

"Professional equipment."

"Can we trace the manufacturer?"

"Not without opening the firmware."

"Do it."

Dominic began working.

The phone rang again.

Vincent answered.

"You're persistent."

Adrian's voice.

"You've always been slow when you're afraid."

Vincent's eyes narrowed.

"Where are you?"

"Ask the right question."

"I've had enough games."

"No. You haven't."

Vincent glanced toward Matteo.

Adrian noticed.

"You still think this is about the boy."

Vincent said nothing.

"Everything you've done for Matteo has been predictable."

"Why?"

"Because you love him."

The call ended.

Vincent stared at the phone.

Clara approached.

"He wants you angry."

"I know."

"No."

She shook her head.

"He wants you afraid."

Vincent looked at her.

"What's the difference?"

"Anger makes you attack."

"And fear?"

"Fear makes you control."

Vincent looked at the cameras.

Clara was right.

The entire system had been built around his fear.

A few minutes later, Matteo spoke.

"Don't hurt Uncle Adrian."

Vincent crouched beside him.

"Matteo, why are you protecting him?"

The boy shook his head.

"Not him."

"Then who?"

Matteo looked at Clara.

"Her."

Clara froze.

Vincent turned toward her.

"What does he mean?"

Matteo pointed at Clara.

"Mommy trusted her."

Clara's face lost its color.

"My mother?"

Matteo nodded.

Vincent looked at Clara.

"What did your mother know?"

Clara swallowed.

"I don't know."

"Don't lie."

"I'm not."

Her voice cracked.

"I swear."

Vincent stepped back.

Dominic interrupted.

"Sir."

"What?"

"The administrator account just accessed Clara's personnel file."

Vincent looked at the screen.

Then another file opened.

MARGARET HAYES.

Clara stared.

"My mother."

The screen displayed a photograph.

Margaret Hayes.

Standing beside Adrian.

Years earlier.

Clara had never seen it.

Vincent looked at the date.

Six years before.

The same year Adrian supposedly died.

Clara whispered:

"She worked for him."

Vincent said nothing.

"She never told me."

"Maybe she was protecting you."

"From what?"

Before Vincent could answer, the screen changed.

A message appeared.

ASK HER ABOUT THE NIGHT THE MONEY DISAPPEARED.

Clara stared.

Vincent looked at her.

"You know something."

"I know my mother was afraid."

"Of Adrian?"

Clara shook her head.

"I don't think so."

"Then who?"

She looked toward the dark monitors.

"I don't know."

The screen changed again.

YOU WILL.

Then every camera in the mansion shut off.

May you like

A DEVASTATING BETRAYAL — Mitch McConnell Breaks Ranks With Trump in a Sc...

Washington has a new Republican fault line—and this time, the clash is playing out over one of the most consequential foreign-poli...

A DEVASTATING ULTIMATUM — Zelensky Accuses Trump of Pressuring Ukraine t...

KYIV — Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is sounding the alarm over what he sees as a dangerous shift in Washington’s approa...

A DEVASTATING POLITICAL CLASH — Kamala Harris Unleashes a Fiery Attack o...

WASHINGTON — Kamala Harris is back on the campaign trail, and her latest message to voters leaves little doubt about where she sta...

For the first time, Vincent Rossi had no idea what was happening inside his own house.

And someone had deliberately chosen that moment to make him blind.