Chapter 6 — The close-up camera angle exposes the truth about the water damage
Samantha held the phone steady.
The high-definition digital zoom brought the porch floor into sharp focus.
The cardboard container filled the center of the screen.
No human figure appeared anywhere near the porch during the entire duration of the storm.
No hands reached into the frame.
No footsteps echoed on the boards.
The water pooling inside matched the exact angle of the wind-driven rain.
The high-definition zoom showed the cardboard disintegrating strictly from rain exposure.
The sodden paper fibers buckled inward under the weight of the water.
Oliver fell completely silent as he watches the playback loop a second time.
His eyes remained fixed on the glowing screen.
He watched the replay run through the sequence a third time without a word.