Chapter 13 - Emily's NotebookDetective Ortiz asked Emily to surrender her notebook.

Emily did so reluctantly.

"I need a copy."

"You'll receive one."

"I don't mean for me."

Ortiz looked up.

"For Ava."

Emily surprised herself with the answer.

"Someday she may need to know someone noticed."

Ortiz studied her.

"People usually keep records because they're afraid no one will believe them."

Emily looked toward the interview-room window.

"That too."

The notebook became important because it documented a progression.

Not just the medication questions.

Three months earlier, Ava had begun telling Emily that Nia disliked Rex.

Two months earlier, Emily found the back patio door open after midnight.

Six weeks earlier, Nia complained that the pool alarms were "embarrassing" when guests visited.

Five weeks earlier, she asked Malik how to silence them.

Four weeks earlier, Rex began sleeping outside Ava's room again despite Nia repeatedly shutting him downstairs.

Three weeks earlier, Ava woke crying and said, "Nia mad."

When Emily asked why, Ava could not explain.

Then came the pool gate.

The fake bite report.

The party.

Ortiz tapped one entry.

"You wrote: 'Nia asked whether Ava's trust pays for medical care after accidents.'"

Emily nodded.

"When?"

"About two months ago."

"Why didn't you think that was suspicious?"

"I did."

"Then why didn't you tell Darius?"

Emily's jaw tightened.

"I did."

Ortiz waited.

Emily continued.

"He said Nia was trying to understand household finances."

"And you believed him?"

"No."

"But you stayed."

"For Ava."

Ortiz closed the notebook.

"That's what everyone says."

Emily bristled.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Sometimes staying protects a child. Sometimes staying preserves the system hurting them."

Emily stared at her.

It was the same lesson Darius was learning from another direction.

Good intentions did not erase bad judgment.

When Emily returned to the mansion, Darius was in Leah's library.

He looked exhausted.

"How'd it go?"

"She made me feel like an idiot."

"Ortiz?"

"Yes."

"She's talented."

Emily sat opposite him.

"I should have pushed harder."

"So should I."

"That's not an excuse."

"No."

Emily looked at him.

"You've changed."

He gave her a tired smile.

"Trauma will do that."

"No. You stopped defending yourself before admitting what you missed."

Darius looked toward Leah's photograph.

"Leah used to say I apologized like I was negotiating."

Emily laughed softly.

"She was right."

"She usually was."

Silence settled between them.

Then Rex barked from upstairs.

Once.

Twice.

Three times.

Emily and Darius both stood.

They ran.

Ava's bedroom was empty.

The balcony door was open.

Darius's heart stopped.

"Ava!"

Rex stood at the railing, barking downward.

Darius rushed over.

Ava was in the garden below.

Safe.

Standing beside Malik.

Malik looked upward.

"Sir!"

Darius nearly collapsed.

They ran downstairs.

"What happened?"

Malik pointed toward the side gate.

"I found Miss Ava walking toward the driveway."

Darius knelt in front of her.

"Why?"

Ava held something in her hand.

A folded note.

She gave it to him.

The words were printed.

MOMMY NIA IS WAITING. COME GET YOUR PRESENT.

Darius stared.

"Where did you get this?"

Ava pointed toward the balcony.

"Bird."

Emily frowned.

"A bird?"

Ava shook her head.

"Paper fly."

Someone had thrown the note onto the balcony.

Darius looked toward the road beyond the wall.

The side gate had been unlocked remotely.

Security logs later showed it happened from a credential once assigned to Nia.

The access had supposedly been disabled.

Someone had found another way in.

Darius called Ortiz.

She arrived within forty minutes.

"This changes things," she said.

Darius held the note.

"What changes?"

"Whoever sent this either wanted Ava outside the house or wanted you terrified."

"Same result."

"No."

Ortiz looked toward the security cameras.

"If they wanted her outside, they expected someone to be waiting."

Darius felt sick.

"And if they wanted me terrified?"

"Then they're telling you they can still reach your daughter."

Rex stood beside Ava.

Emily placed one hand on the dog's back.

The message was clear.

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