Chapter 5 - THE BLUE ROOM
The room smelled faintly of dust and old perfume.
Blue curtains covered the windows.
A small white crib stood against one wall.
Shelves held stuffed animals, books, and wooden blocks.
Everything looked ordinary.
Too ordinary.
Matteo stood beside the doorway.
“Isabella decorated this room herself.”
I looked around.
“Why did Leah stop using it?”
He swallowed.
“After the accident, Cassandra said it upset her.”
I approached the crib.
A small camera was mounted above it.
The wire had been cut.
On the opposite wall stood a white cabinet.
Its lower drawer was locked.
I glanced at Matteo.
“Do you have the key?”
He shook his head.
“Cassandra manages the household keys.”
I looked at the camera.
“Was the monitoring system recording?”
“Yes. It stored video and audio on a local server.”
“Do you still have the recordings?”
Matteo hesitated.
“I was told the system failed after Isabella died.”
“Who told you?”
His expression darkened.
“Cassandra.”
I looked at the blue walls.
The locked drawer.
The disconnected camera.
The room Leah feared.
Something was wrong.
Very wrong.
Matteo stepped closer.
“Emily.”
I turned.
“Yes?”
“What are you thinking?”
I took a breath.
“That someone may have taught Leah to associate this room with something frightening.”
He looked toward the crib.
His face tightened.
“Cassandra wouldn't.”
I didn't answer.
He closed his eyes.
“She's been part of our family for years.”
I looked at him.
“Trust is important.”
He nodded.
“But so is evidence.”
Matteo stared at me.
Then reached for his phone.
He called his head of security.
“Daniel.”
A pause.
“I want every available backup from the old nursery monitoring system.”
He listened.
Then said:
“And don't tell Cassandra.”
May you like
I felt my heart accelerate.
Because for the first time, Matteo Duca was beginning to question the person who had controlled his daughter's world.
