Chapter 3 - Six RecordingsThe pediatrician's office smelled faintly of disinfectant and baby lotion.
Lily sat on Julian's lap, pressing a small stuffed rabbit against his chest.
She had refused to release his shirt during the entire drive.
Dr. Naomi Patel crouched in front of her.
"Hello, Lily. May I see your hand?"
Lily hid her face.
Julian stroked her hair.
"We can go slowly."
Dr. Patel nodded.
"Absolutely."
She waited until Lily cautiously extended her wrist.
The physician examined the mark without forcing her to remain still.
Julian watched every movement.
"Does it look like somebody held her too tightly?"
"It could be consistent with gripping pressure," Dr. Patel answered carefully. "But a mark alone doesn't establish exactly how it happened."
She photographed it with Julian's permission and documented its location and appearance.
"Has she been behaving differently?"
Julian swallowed.
"She cries when certain people approach her."
"Sleeping?"
"Celeste said she's been waking up constantly."
"Have you witnessed that?"
He looked down.
"No."
"Appetite?"
"Celeste told me she was refusing meals."
Dr. Patel studied him.
"And what have you personally observed?"
Julian opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
He had no answer.
Not a reliable one.
He knew which stuffed animal Lily preferred.
He knew she liked the smell of oranges.
He knew she smiled whenever someone played three notes on Claire's piano.
But he didn't know how she'd been eating.
Or sleeping.
Or what happened inside his own home while he was away.
Shame tightened his throat.
"I need to change that."
Dr. Patel's expression softened.
"Then begin with what you can verify."
She recommended careful documentation, consistent routines, and keeping Lily away from anyone who appeared to frighten her while the situation was evaluated.
She also explained that the circumstances might require a child-protection report.
Julian agreed to cooperate.
Before leaving, he called Thomas.
"What did you find?"
Thomas's voice was strained.
"Mr. Mercer, I copied the recording files using the receiver's normal export function. The originals are still on the device."
"Did you watch them?"
"One."
Silence.
"Tell me."
Thomas hesitated.
"You should see it yourself."
An hour later, Julian sat in his home office while Lily slept beside him in a portable crib he had moved into the room.
Thomas placed a laptop on the desk.
Edward was not present.
Neither was Celeste.
The first recording began with a view of the music room.
The camera had been positioned behind a floral arrangement, facing the piano bench.
Celeste appeared in her gold evening gown.
Lily stood beside the bench.
She was crying.
"Again?" Celeste said impatiently.
The toddler reached toward her.
Celeste stepped backward.
"No."
Lily stumbled toward the piano.
"Da-da."
Celeste folded her arms.
"Your father doesn't want to hear this."
Julian felt something turn cold inside his chest.
Onscreen, Celeste leaned close.
"Keep crying. No one is coming to save you."
It was the same sentence Julian had heard when he arrived.
But this recording was eleven days old.
Julian paused the video.
He couldn't breathe properly.
Thomas stood silently.
"Play the next one," Julian whispered.
The second recording showed Celeste placing Lily on the padded piano bench.
She walked several feet away.
Lily began crying and tried to climb down.
Celeste returned, lifted her back onto the bench, and told her to stay.
Julian gripped the desk.
The next clip showed Lily reaching for a toy.
Celeste pulled it away.
"Not until you're quiet."
The fourth showed Celeste ignoring repeated requests for water while instructing someone behind the camera to keep recording.
The fifth showed Lily crying alone beside the piano for several minutes before Thomas appeared in the doorway.
In the sixth, Celeste gripped Lily's wrist as she tried to move away.
Julian's eyes locked on the screen.
The movement was brief.
But unmistakable.
He stopped the recording.
"Who approved this?"
Thomas looked down.
"Mr. Collins told us the videos were for a behavioral assessment."
"Who requested the assessment?"
"He said it came from Mr. Warren Mercer."
Julian stared at him.
"Warren?"
Thomas nodded.
"He told us you already knew."
Julian looked toward the sleeping child.
She lay curled around her stuffed rabbit, one small hand resting against her cheek.
For months, people had been telling him they were taking care of her.
He had believed them.
Now he wondered how many other things he had accepted without asking.
His phone vibrated.
A message from Warren appeared.
We need to discuss your behavior before this gets out of hand.
A second message followed.
And Julian, don't destroy any more evidence.
Julian read the words twice.
Warren already knew about the piano.
May you like
He knew about the recordings.
And somehow, he sounded less concerned about Lily than about what the evidence might reveal.
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