Chapter 3 — The Neighbor Nobody Noticed
That evening another surprise arrived.
Mrs. Harper.
The seventy-two-year-old widow who lived across the street.
Ryan barely knew her name.
Emily smiled warmly.
"Thank you for coming."
Mrs. Harper handed the detectives several external hard drives.
"I've had cameras facing this street for years."
Ryan frowned.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
The detective connected one drive to his laptop.
Video after video appeared.
Ryan yelling outside.
Ryan grabbing Emily's arm.
Ryan forcing her into the house.
Different dates.
Different clothes.
The pattern stretched back almost three years.
Mrs. Harper quietly said,
"I kept copies because your father asked me to."
Ryan stared at Emily.
"Your father planned this?"
Emily shook her head.
"No."
May you like
"He planned for me to always have proof if I ever needed it."
For the first time, Ryan realized every lie he'd told had been witnessed by someone.
