Chapter 2 — Hannah Taps the Security App Playback — Then The Camera Angle Reveals the Corner of the Living Room
The loading circle spins on the smartphone screen for three agonizing seconds.
Margaret taps her foot impatiently against the baseboard, her arms still crossed over her chest.
“Just admit it and get it over with, Chloe,” Margaret mutters, looking down at the crying child.
“I didn’t touch it!” Chloe cries again into Hannah’s shoulder.
The video file finally populates on the display.
A wide-angle lens view of the living room appears in crisp high definition.
The timestamp in the corner reads 3:10 PM, exactly four minutes before the loud smash echoed through the house.
Hannah holds the phone steady so Margaret can see the entire layout.
The coffee table, the sofa, and the rug are all clearly visible from the elevated camera vantage point.
The wide view shows the blue and white ceramic vase sitting innocently on the edge of the polished mahogany surface.
Chloe is sitting quietly on the rug just feet away from the table.
She is entirely focused on stacking wooden blocks into a tall tower, completely ignoring the antique heirloom above her.
The video playback continues forward at normal speed.
The clock on the screen ticks past 3:11 PM and 3:12 PM.
Chloe carefully places another block onto her tower, whispering to herself as she concentrates.
Margaret leans in closer to inspect the small phone screen.
“Well, she was right next to it,” Margaret insists, though the aggressive edge in her voice wavers slightly.
“Keep watching,” Hannah replies, her eyes fixed on the display.
The timestamp advances to 3:13 PM.
Chloe finishes her block tower, gives a little clap of triumph, and scoots backward across the carpet to grab another toy from her basket.
The space directly beside the coffee table is empty now.
The vase sits undisturbed under the warm afternoon light pouring through the front window.
Then, just as the timestamp clicks over to 3:14 PM, a dark, furry shape enters the very edge of the camera frame from the lower right corner.