Evan replied, “It does not matter if we control the paperwork, once they are gone everything moves quickly.”
The words froze my blood.
Shortly after, the detective confirmed that Brittany’s supposed retreat photos were stock images taken from the internet.
The lie collapsed instantly.
PART 5
When my father finally regained consciousness, it was gradual and quiet, his eyes opening slowly as if returning from somewhere distant.
When I explained what had happened, he immediately frowned and whispered, “The alarms.”
When I told him they had not worked, something shifted in his expression.
“Kara,” he said weakly, though in this version it was Brittany, and the name carried weight like a revelation.
He described her visit the night before, mentioning that she had claimed to fix the thermostat and that he had heard sounds near the hallway.
He had seen her holding something white.
That testimony removed any remaining doubt.
Miles compiled all the evidence, including the footage, receipts, and system logs, and handed everything to the detective.
The thermostat data showed Brittany accessing the system late at night, disabling safety alerts, and adjusting airflow settings in a precise sequence.