Chapter 13 - The Hidden Eyes
Daniel knew that presenting the toxic vial to the police wouldn't be enough to secure a rock-solid conviction against someone as wealthy, cunning, and resourceful as Clara. She could easily claim that Elena had planted the poison, or that the vial belonged to someone else entirely. He needed irrefutable, visual evidence of Clara actively administering the neurotoxin to his helpless mother.
The next morning, Daniel told Clara he had an emergency, all-day board meeting in the financial district and would not return until very late in the evening. As soon as Clara’s luxury SUV pulled out of the grand driveway for her morning spa appointment, Daniel rushed back into the house carrying a heavy black duffel bag.
Elena was waiting for him in the hallway, her face pale but determined.
"Is she gone?"
Daniel asked, unzipping the bag to reveal a vast array of high-tech, miniature surveillance equipment.
"Yes, Mr. Daniel. We have at least three hours before she returns."
Daniel worked with frantic, focused precision. He installed a microscopic, high-definition camera inside the ornate smoke detector directly above his mother’s antique bed. He hid a second camera behind the thick, leather-bound books on the bookshelf, ensuring it had a perfect, unobstructed view of the mahogany dresser where the poison was kept. Finally, he installed a tiny microphone under the bedside table.
"Elena, you must act completely normal,"
Daniel instructed, testing the live video feeds on his encrypted smartphone.
"If she suspects even for a second that we know her secret, she might accelerate her timeline and give my mother a lethal dose immediately. You have to let her mix the tea tonight. Do not intervene. We need it on camera."
Elena nodded, her eyes wide with fear but her resolve unbroken.
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"I understand. I will protect her until you are ready."
Daniel left the house, his heart pounding in his chest. The invisible net was officially cast. All he had to do now was wait for the predator to step inside.
