Chapter 7 - The Camera That Wasn't BrokenMarcus Vale had an explanation for everything.
That was what bothered Detective Brooks.
When she interviewed him again, he arrived wearing a charcoal suit, polished shoes, and an expression of professional concern.
“I've already given a statement,” he said.
“I have additional questions.”
“Of course. Aster House wants to cooperate fully.”
Brooks placed a photograph on the table.
It showed Marcus near the balcony's service entrance, speaking with Vivienne.
“Tell me about this conversation.”
Marcus glanced at the image.
“I speak with dozens of guests during weddings.”
“What were you discussing?”
“I don't recall.”
“You were holding a corporate document.”
He looked again.
“Probably an event schedule.”
“An event schedule headed 'Shareholder Meeting'?”
Marcus's jaw shifted.
“I can't read that from here.”
Brooks slid an enlarged print across the table.
He stopped smiling.
“Those are internal papers. Sometimes I carry documents between departments.”
“Why would you show them to Vivienne Cross?”
“I didn't say I showed her anything.”
Brooks leaned back.
“Did you arrange to have the south balcony cleared?”
“As part of ordinary crowd management.”
“For a photographer who says she never requested it?”
Marcus folded his hands.
“There must have been a misunderstanding.”
“And why wasn't the camera recording?”
“As I've explained, there was a system fault.”
“When did you first discover that fault?”
“During routine checks.”
“What time?”
“I don't remember exactly.”
Brooks opened a second folder.
The venue's maintenance records showed no repair request for that camera in the week before the wedding.
The only incident report was created after Lucy fell.
Marcus read the document.
His expression became guarded.
“Our paperwork sometimes runs behind.”
“Did you personally disable the camera?”
“No.”
“Did you open its service housing?”
“I might have inspected it.”
“During the wedding rehearsal?”
“We had several technical issues.”
“Which ones?”
Marcus rubbed his thumb against his wedding ring.
“I'd need to consult my records.”
Brooks watched him.
A man who could recall every routine detail seemed suddenly unable to remember his own movements during a catastrophic incident.
She ended the interview without revealing everything her investigators had learned.
As Marcus left, she made a note.
Obtain service credentials and original access-control records.
Meanwhile, Daniel was dealing with a different kind of evidence.
His daughter had come home from the hospital.
Physically, Lucy was doing remarkably well.
She had no diagnosed major injury from the fall, although her doctors recommended follow-up and warned Daniel about symptoms that would require immediate medical attention.
Emotionally, things were harder.
Lucy refused to sleep in her own room.
She cried whenever Daniel stepped out of sight.
The sound of a plate breaking sent her into panicked sobs.
Daniel began sleeping on a mattress beside her crib.
Every night, he woke to the same memory.
Pink tulle.
Empty air.
Vivienne's hands.
One afternoon, Lucy stood near the living-room window and pointed toward the curtains.
“Up.”
Daniel froze.
He had avoided holding her near windows since the wedding.
Lucy pointed again.
“Up, Daddy.”
He realized she wanted to see the bird perched outside.
He knelt beside her instead.
“Let's look from here.”
Lucy leaned against him.
The bird flew away.
She clapped.
Daniel felt ashamed of the relief that washed over him.
He could not let the worst fifteen seconds of her life decide every moment that followed.
That evening, Caroline arrived with copies of preliminary court documents.
“We need to talk about Marcus.”
Daniel gestured toward the kitchen table.
“Brooks thinks he interfered with the cameras.”
“There's another issue. Aster House's lawyers are resisting access to some of the corporate records.”
“Why?”
“They say the shareholder materials are unrelated to a criminal investigation.”
“Are they?”
Caroline hesitated.
“Possibly not.”
She spread out a corporate organizational chart.
Aster House was the flagship property of Cross Hospitality Holdings, the privately owned family company Harrison Cross had managed for decades.
Marcus reported directly to the company's executive office.
Harrison controlled that office.
Daniel studied the diagram.
“Are you telling me Marcus works for Harrison?”
“Ultimately, yes.”
“Vivienne's father?”
“Yes.”
Daniel looked toward Lucy's bedroom.
He remembered Harrison asking whether he possessed photographs.
He remembered Marcus approaching the railing after the rescue.
“Caroline, there's something I need you to check.”
“What?”
“The company cameras. If Marcus turned one off, would the system record who did it?”
“Possibly. It depends on the equipment.”
“And if Harrison controls the company, could they erase the record?”
She considered her answer.
“They could try. That's why preservation orders and forensic collection matter.”
Daniel stood.
“I want those records protected.”
“The detectives are already working on that.”
His phone rang before he could respond.
Detective Brooks.
“We've obtained information from the camera system vendor,” she said.
Daniel gripped the phone.
“Was it broken?”
“No. The available service records show it was functioning before the wedding.”
He closed his eyes.
“Then what happened?”
Brooks answered carefully.
“Someone used an authorized maintenance account to place it into privacy mode.”
Daniel stopped breathing for a moment.
May you like
“When?”
“Minutes before your daughter fell.”
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