Chapter 6
The phone became important because Clara had lied about it.
She told Dante the message during the barbecue came from her sister.
Phone records obtained later through Javier’s civil attorney during their marital dispute showed otherwise.
The message came from an unknown prepaid number.
Rachel warned Dante not to assume anything criminal.
They did not know who owned the number.
Then one of the estate guards remembered something.
About fifteen minutes before Javier attacked Leo, Clara had walked toward the front drive alone.
She made a short call.
Less than a minute.
When she returned, she asked whether the security cameras covered the entire lawn.
The guard said yes.
Clara asked whether they recorded audio.
They did not.
At the time, he thought she was curious.
Now it looked different.
Dante reviewed the footage personally.
There was no audio.
But there was enough.
Clara repeatedly looked toward the driveway.
She watched Javier talking to Leo.
She watched Leo walk away.
She approached Javier.
They spoke briefly.
Javier’s posture changed immediately.
He followed Leo.
Minutes later, the confrontation began.
“What did she say to you?” Dante asked.
Javier rubbed both hands over his face.
“She said Leo had been laughing about me.”
“Was he?”
“I don’t know.”
“What exactly did she say?”
“That Leo told Mia I was a fake tough guy who only had authority because you allowed it.”
Dante stared at him.
“You believed an eight-year-old said that?”
Javier looked ashamed.
“I was already angry.”
That was the point.
Clara had not created Javier’s insecurity.
She knew exactly where it was.
And she kept pressing until a child could trigger it.
Dante watched the footage again.
One image bothered him.
The moment Javier shoved him.
Everyone around them recoiled.
Clara did not.
She stepped backward.
May you like
Not in fear.
Almost as though she were making sure the entire scene remained visible.
