Multiple witnesses.
The timeline simply didn’t fit.
Detective Collins closed her notebook.
“I don’t think you did this.”
It wasn’t an apology.
But it was close enough.
“Then why am I here?”
She leaned back.
“Because somebody wanted us looking at you.”
The next morning, investigators obtained a search warrant.
Not for my house.
For my ex-wife’s.
And what they found changed everything.
The kitchen cameras had been disconnected.
Only the kitchen.
Only that room.
Only that day.
The timing raised questions.
Lots of them.
Then came the phone records.
Messages.
Deleted conversations.
Recovered backups.
The kind of digital evidence people forget exists.
Detective Collins called me that evening.
Her voice sounded different.
More serious.
“Mr. Harper, did Lily ever mention being afraid of Kate before?”
“Many times.”
“Did she ever explain why?”
“No.”
There was a pause.
Then the detective spoke carefully.
“We’ve spoken with neighbors.”
My stomach tightened.
“And?”
“Several reported hearing arguments.”
Another pause.
“One neighbor reported hearing a child crying and asking for you.”
I closed my eyes.
For a moment I couldn’t speak.
