She called the hospital visit “an overreaction” before she had asked Ella a single question.
Ella went rigid when she heard her voice.
That was the first moment I understood the fear in our hallway might not belong to one afternoon or one person.
My phone buzzed.
The message came from Margaret.
“Adam, before anyone explains this away, you need to see what my porch camera recorded.”
A video file appeared beneath the message.
The thumbnail showed our driveway.
Caroline stood near the garage.
Beside her was her mother.
Ella was between them.
I opened the clip.
For the first few seconds, the camera showed only Margaret’s porch rail, the edge of the lawn, and the corner of our driveway.
Then Ella ran into view with her stuffed rabbit tucked under one arm.
