Chapter 8 - The Man Behind the Lies
Victor Walsh had always been the quiet member of Ryan’s family.
He rarely attended holidays.
He never raised his voice.
He owned a small private-security company outside Chicago and claimed most of his work involved warehouses and office buildings.
But Detective Torres discovered that Victor’s company had installed the cameras inside Emily and Ryan’s former apartment building.
He had access to every hallway.
Every entrance.
Every recording.
“He knew what Ryan was doing,” Emily whispered.
Torres nodded.
“And he may have deleted evidence.”
James’s jaw tightened.
During the original investigation, officers had requested six months of security footage.
Victor provided only fourteen days.
He claimed the rest had been automatically erased.
Now investigators believed he had lied.
Emily remembered the nights she had run into the hallway, only for Ryan to drag her back inside.
A camera had been above the elevator.
Victor could have seen everything.
“He could have stopped it.”
“He could have,” Torres said. “Instead, he protected his nephew.”
James leaned forward.
“Why contact Emily now?”
Torres hesitated.
“Because Ryan’s appeal could expose what Victor did.”
The anonymous threat was not only about Noah.
Someone wanted Emily frightened enough to disappear before the new hearing.
Then James’s phone rang.
It was the security alarm at Emily’s former apartment.
Someone had entered the empty unit.
And when police arrived, they found a nursery prepared inside.
A crib.
May you like
Baby clothes.
And Noah’s name painted across the wall.
