Chapter 4 - The Lie
The first patrol car arrived seven minutes later.
By then Amanda had changed everything.
Her hair was messy.
A red scratch marked her forearm.
She had even put the broken recorder pieces into a plastic bag.
Officer Martinez crouched in front of Ethan near the kitchen table.
“Your stepmother says you pushed her and tried to run away.”
“I didn't.”
Amanda made a wounded sound behind him.
Ethan looked at her.
She would not meet his eyes.
Lily did not stay quiet.
“He didn't push her! She grabbed him!”
Amanda touched Lily's shoulder. “Honey, you're upset.”
“Don't touch me.”
Officer Martinez looked from mother to daughter.
His partner, Officer Shaw, picked up the bag containing the smashed device.
“What is this?”
“A toy,” Amanda said quickly.
“It was Daddy's,” Ethan said.
Amanda's jaw tightened.
Officer Shaw studied the pieces. “Doesn't look like a toy.”
“It was recording us,” Amanda said. “Without my knowledge.”
Officer Martinez raised an eyebrow. “Who gave it to him?”
“My husband.”
That answer changed the room.
“Why?”
Amanda folded her arms. “Daniel has become paranoid lately.”
“About what?”
“Our marriage.”
Ethan stared at her.
Dad and Amanda argued sometimes, but Daniel had never said he was paranoid.
Amanda kept talking.
“He's been filling Ethan's head with ideas that I'm trying to replace his mother. Ethan's biological mother died when he was three. He has never adjusted.”
Ethan felt as if the floor had shifted.
His mother had died in a car accident.
Amanda almost never mentioned her.
Now she was using her like evidence.
Officer Martinez said gently, “Ethan, did your dad tell you to record Amanda?”
Ethan hesitated.
Dad said don't explain the recorder to Amanda.
He had not said anything about police.
“He said to press the button if I got scared.”
Amanda laughed once, without humor. “See?”
Lily yelled, “Because you don't feed him!”
Silence.
Officer Shaw looked toward the table.
There were three plates.
Two held chicken bones and mashed potatoes.
The third held cold noodles.
Amanda spoke too quickly.
“He refused dinner.”
“No, he didn't!” Lily shouted.
Martinez held up a hand. “Okay. Everyone slow down.”
Then his radio crackled.
Dispatch had information on Daniel Brooks.
Officer Martinez listened.
His expression changed.
“What?” Amanda asked.
He ignored her and stepped into the hallway.
Ethan watched through the doorway.
Martinez spoke quietly into his shoulder mic, then pulled out his phone.
A minute later he returned.
“Mrs. Brooks, when was the last time you spoke to your husband?”
“This morning.”
“What time?”
“Around eight.”
Martinez glanced at Shaw.
“That's interesting.”
Amanda's face tightened. “Why?”
“Because Daniel Brooks was admitted to Fairbanks Memorial Hospital at 6:40 this morning after a vehicle accident at his work site.”
Ethan stopped breathing.
Lily whispered, “Daddy?”
Martinez continued.
“He's alive. But according to the hospital, he has not been conscious since admission.”
May you like
Then he looked directly at Amanda.
“So who exactly did you speak to at eight?”
