Chapter 4 - The Missing Server Log
The amber light of the smart-home terminal flickered rhythmically in the dim hallway as Officer Vance tapped the polished glass screen, searching for the primary directory of the estate's extensive security camera network. Clara stood nearby, her arms crossed tightly over her ruined maroon dress, a smug, untouchable smile playing on her lips as she watched the officer swipe through endless folders of encrypted data. Arthur nervously adjusted the collar of his white shirt, sweat beading along his hairline as he realized the terrifying implications of what was about to unfold on that screen.
"Strange," Officer Vance muttered, his brow furrowing deeply as the spinning loading wheel continued to cycle without displaying a single thumbnail. "The system shows the local storage drive was accessed less than ten minutes ago, but all the video files for the dining room and foyer have been completely wiped from the master server."
"Wiped?" Eleanor repeated, her voice tightening with sudden panic as she shifted Lily to her other hip. "That's impossible. The system is programmed for automated cloud backups every single hour."
Clara let out a delicate, mocking sigh, shaking her head as if dealing with a pair of incompetent children. "Oh, Eleanor, darling, you really thought you could play house in my estate and keep track of everything, didn't you? A smart home requires a smart owner. I disabled the cloud sync months ago to protect our family's privacy from hackers. It seems foresight has saved us once again."
"You didn't do it for privacy, Clara; you did it so you could control the narrative when your cruelty finally blew up in your face," Eleanor shot back, her temper flaring despite the presence of the two uniformed officers standing just inches away.
Officer Vance looked between the two women, his expression turning stern and professional. "Without the security footage, this becomes a classic he-said-she-said dispute. However, we do have physical evidence of property damage and a reported assault. Unless someone here wants to come clean about what really transpired before we arrived, we’re going to have to take formal statements down at the station."
"Take statements?" Arthur gasped, stepping forward with genuine horror in his eyes. "You can't take my wife to the station. This is a private family matter; we can handle it internally."
"Mr. Vanderbilt, an assault was reported, and a child was involved in a hostile environment," Officer Miller said firmly, resting his hand casually on his belt. "Family matter or not, protocol requires us to investigate fully."
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Clara took a deliberate step forward, her eyes gleaming with malicious triumph as she looked directly at Eleanor. "I think it’s best if she goes downtown. Maybe a night in a holding cell will finally teach her how a lady behaves in polite society."
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