CHAPTER 3: The Witness They Never Counted On
CHAPTER 3: The Witness They Never Counted On
Brooke ended the call so quickly the room seemed to echo with the silence that followed.
Her hand remained wrapped around the phone.
Hannah's heart hammered against her ribs.
She had heard only a fragment.
"You promised the brakes would—"
The sentence had been cut off.
But there was only one logical ending.
Brooke slowly slipped the phone back into her handbag.
"You misheard."
"I didn't say anything."
"You don't have to."
Brooke stepped closer, her heels clicking across the hardwood floor.
"The expression on your face tells me exactly what you're thinking."
Hannah instinctively shifted both twins farther from Brooke.
"I think you're frightening."
A cold smile spread across Brooke's lips.
"Good."
For the first time since entering the Hale estate, Hannah felt genuine fear.
Not for herself.
For the tiny boys sleeping peacefully against her chest.
Hidden beneath the bandages, Ethan fought to keep his breathing steady.
Every instinct screamed at him to get out of bed.
To demand Brooke hand over the phone.
To force her to explain who had called and why the word brakes had come up.
But Caleb's warning echoed in his mind.
"If you reveal yourself too early, she'll destroy every piece of evidence before we know the truth."
He remained perfectly still.
Downstairs, Caleb's phone buzzed.
The security monitor had no audio from Ethan's bedroom.
That had been Ethan's decision.
He wanted natural reactions, not hidden recordings that could later be challenged in court.
Now Caleb regretted agreeing.
Victor Sloan looked over.
"What happened?"
Caleb frowned.
"Brooke's personal phone just connected to the estate Wi-Fi."
"So?"
"I cloned the network logs yesterday."
Victor stared.
"You expected this?"
"I expected she might call someone."
"Can you identify who?"
"Not yet."
Caleb hurried to his laptop.
The call had lasted twenty-two seconds.
Unknown number.
Burner phone.
No registered owner.
Professional.
Very professional.
Caleb's stomach tightened.
This wasn't ordinary greed.
Back upstairs...
Brooke's expression softened almost instantly.
It was the face she wore for cameras.
"Hannah."
"I think we've gotten off on the wrong foot."
Hannah said nothing.
"I've been under tremendous stress."
She even managed to produce tears.
"My fiancé may never wake up."
"My wedding is falling apart."
"I'm grieving too."
If Hannah hadn't heard the phone call, she might have believed her.
Instead, every tear looked rehearsed.
"I'm taking the babies downstairs," Hannah said.
"They need feeding."
Brooke blocked the doorway.
"Not yet."
The room became suffocatingly quiet.
"You aren't leaving until we're finished."
"I don't think we have anything else to discuss."
"Oh, we do."
Brooke lowered her voice.
"I'd like to offer you something."
"What?"
"A new beginning."
Hannah frowned.
"A generous severance."
"I don't understand."
"Resign."
The words landed like ice.
"Today."
"I've only worked here three weeks."
"Exactly."
"No one knows you."
"No one will ask questions."
Brooke opened her handbag again.
This time she removed a white envelope.
It was thick.
Very thick.
She placed it on Ethan's bedside table.
"Twenty-five thousand dollars."
Hannah stared.
"For what?"
"You'll leave Ridgeview."
"You'll sign a confidentiality agreement."
"You'll tell everyone you accepted a better job."
"And you'll never mention today's conversation."
Hannah looked at the envelope.
Then at the twins.
Then back to Brooke.
"You think I can be bought."
"I think everyone has a price."
"You've mistaken me for yourself."
Brooke's smile disappeared.
Without warning, Noah began to cry.
The tiny sound filled the room.
Jack woke a second later.
Within moments both babies were crying together.
Brooke covered her ears.
"Oh, for heaven's sake!"
Her face twisted with disgust.
"I can't stand that noise!"
She marched toward Hannah.
"Give them to me."
Hannah hesitated.
"I said give them to me!"
Reluctantly, Hannah shifted Noah into Brooke's arms.
The baby cried louder.
Brooke held him awkwardly, as if afraid he might stain her expensive blouse.
"Make him stop!"
"Support his head."
"I know how to hold a baby."
"No, you don't."
Noah's crying became frantic.
His tiny face turned red.
Instead of comforting him, Brooke shook him impatiently.
"Enough!"
The movement was slight.
But Ethan saw it.
His vision blurred with rage.
Hannah gasped.
"Don't shake him!"
"I'm not shaking him!"
"You are!"
"Take him back then!"
Brooke shoved Noah toward Hannah so abruptly that the infant nearly slipped.
Hannah caught him just in time.
Ethan's fingernails tore into his palms.
One more second...
Just one more...
The bedroom door suddenly opened.
Dr. Michael Reeves entered carrying a medical bag.
He stopped immediately.
"What happened?"
"Noah was crying," Hannah answered.
"I've got him."
The doctor walked over.
His experienced eyes moved from Brooke's flushed face...
...to Hannah's frightened expression...
...to Ethan lying motionless.
Then he noticed the envelope on the bedside table.
He noticed Brooke's trembling hands.
He noticed everything.
"Miss Caldwell," he said evenly.
"May I speak with you outside?"
"I'd rather stay with Ethan."
"It wasn't a request."
For the first time all afternoon...
Someone had challenged Brooke without hesitation.
She forced another smile.
"Of course."
As they stepped into the hallway, Dr. Reeves quietly closed the door behind them.
Hannah immediately rushed to Ethan's bedside.
Her voice was barely a whisper.
"Mr. Hale..."
No response.
"I don't know if you can hear me."
Tears rolled down her cheeks.
"But if you can..."
"...please wake up."
"...your sons need you."
A single tear escaped from the corner of Ethan's closed eye.
Hannah froze.
She leaned closer.
May you like
"Did..."
"...did you just cry?"
