Chapter 13 - The Recording

While Sarah was taken for an emergency C-section, Detective Brooks sent Rosa's original cloud file to digital forensics.

Daniel scrubbed his hands in a small room outside surgery.

He could not stop shaking.

Arthur stood beside him.

"You don't have to be strong every second."

Daniel stared at the sink.

"I should have seen what my mother was."

"You were raised inside her version of reality."

"That's an excuse."

"No. It's an explanation. What you do now is what matters."

A nurse opened the door.

"Mr. Vance, we're ready."

Inside the operating room, Sarah looked tiny under bright lights.

Daniel sat beside her head.

"I'm here."

She turned toward him.

"If she's okay..."

"She will be."

"If she's okay, name her Grace."

He smiled through tears.

"Grace Vance?"

"Grace Reed Vance."

"For your father."

"For both of us."

The surgery began.

Outside, Detective Brooks got the forensic result.

The video was authentic.

Metadata matched the date and location.

No edits.

She called the district attorney.

Then she called Eleanor Vance.

Eleanor did not answer.

At 2:18 a.m., Grace Reed Vance was born.

Four pounds, eleven ounces.

Small.

Angry.

Alive.

Her first cry broke Daniel in half.

Sarah laughed and sobbed at the same time.

Then the monitors changed.

Dr. Grant's voice sharpened.

"Bleeding."

Daniel looked up.

A nurse pulled him back.

"Mr. Vance, we need space."

"What's happening?"

"Please."

Sarah's eyes found his.

"Daniel."

He reached for her hand.

Then another doctor moved between them.

"Take the baby to NICU."

Grace disappeared through one door.

Daniel was pushed through another.

The doors closed.

He stood in the hall covered in surgical blue, with blood on one sleeve that was not his.

Arthur reached him.

"How is she?"

"I don't know."

His phone buzzed.

Detective Brooks.

"We have the video authenticated."

Daniel leaned against the wall.

"Good."

"There's more. We issued a warrant for your mother."

He closed his eyes.

"Then arrest her."

"We tried."

Daniel opened his eyes.

"What do you mean, tried?"

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Detective Brooks's voice hardened.

"Eleanor Vance is gone."