The sergeant looked at Noah.
“Did she tell you what she intended to do?”
Noah swallowed.
“Yes.”
“Play the recording,” Patricia snapped.
“Let everyone hear how he manipulated me.”
The detective looked almost surprised by her confidence.
Then he pressed the screen.
Patricia’s voice filled the checkpoint.
“Once Emily misses that flight, she will panic,” the recording said.
“She always panics.
I show the order, tell security the baby is at risk, and by the time anyone checks the details, Lily and I will be gone.”
A man’s voice asked, “What about the husband?”
“He will not touch me in front of police.
Emily will be crying.
Everyone will believe the calm older woman with court papers.”
I looked at Patricia.
She had built the entire plan around forcing me to appear unstable.
She expected fear to become evidence against me.
The recording continued.
Noah’s voice could be heard from farther away.
“What are you talking about?”
There was a rustle, then Patricia spoke more quietly.
“Your sister has poisoned you.
Send me the flight information, or you can leave my house tonight.”
“It isn’t your house.”
“Then perhaps I should tell the trustee what you did with your father’s credit card before he died.”
Noah’s breathing changed beside me.
He had told me about that mistake months earlier.
During our father’s illness, Noah had used the card twice for groceries and medication after Patricia refused to give him money.
He paid the charges back, but Patricia kept copies of the statements and repeatedly threatened to accuse him of theft.
She had used his shame as a leash.
On the recording, Noah finally said, “I’ll send the screenshot.
But you promise you only want to talk?”
Patricia answered without hesitation.
“Of course.”
The file ended.
Noah stared at the floor.
“I believed her for about ten minutes.
Then I saw the fake letter on the printer and recorded the rest.”
The detective opened another audio file.
This time, Patricia was speaking to someone by telephone.
“The stamp does not need to survive a court hearing,” she said.
“It only needs to survive an airport.”
The sergeant slowly closed the folder.
Patricia began shouting before the recording finished.
“That was taken out of context.
I was frightened for the baby.
Emily has kept Lily isolated.
She has refused family support.”
“I refused your support,” I said.
“Not everyone’s.”
“Because I know the truth about you.”
“What truth?”
“You had anxiety.”
