lished studio floor w

ack for a second, then

ing, fists clenched. Jessica rushed t

l yelled, his voice hoarse. "Sh

. "Can we get that back online? There might be

refully picking up the damaged la

ain, and then, an entir

y Ins

a video

indicated it was streaming

briefly: "Contingen

'd set that up. A dead man's switch, of sorts. If my

o began

lmed covertly. Audio fir

u think you can help me? With

e, he's a lawyer, specializes in these messy family situations. He can get a restr

e, looking tired and hopeful. Jessica was smiling, i

water. "Here, you loo

ok a

if the phone recording it had been s

o look unfocused.

ideo

room. Sunlight streamed thr

heveled. A strange man, not the "law

groggy, confused. "

tel room doo

f fury. Jessica was right behind him,

e HELL is this?

g up, confused, terrified. "M

slapped me. Hard. The sound

d. On the chat, emojis

own my face. I looked at Jessica, pleading.

Michael! I can't believe she'd do this! After everything! I fo

dden phone's microphone caught it. "Face it, Sarah. This is easier,

a mask of sorrow. "She's... she's just n

e spat on the floor near me. "You're filth, Sar

ve me one last, triumphant

ideo

as silent. U

ands gripping the armrests of his chair.

rah was always good with computers! She... she faked that to

He stared at the blank scree

. "There's another file.

oice again, but this time, it wa

looked... lost. I wanted to run to him, to tell him it was a lie, a setup. But then I saw them. The same thugs who beat m

he audio. A

me what happened. Who that man was. I... I had to make him leave.

the voice I used with Michael that day. "What's it to you, Mic

voice, full of pa

of being poor. Now leave me alone. And tell your par

io clic

out a choked sob. He cove

omposure finally cracking. H

ten to that! She's

ge's gavel. "There's another audio file

s a week, you said? To keep an eye on her? Make sure

urage her to leave town. Or at least make her life difficult enough that sh

, sweetie. For that price, I'll m