Alvarez, the neighbor from across the street.
“Why is your door open?” Mrs.
Alvarez asked.
“I heard a child crying.”
Evelyn blocked her from entering and claimed Clara had suffered another episode.
Mrs.Alvarez said she was calling an ambulance.
“Michael will be home any minute,” Evelyn replied.
“He can handle his wife.”
Mrs.Alvarez refused to leave until she saw Clara and Lily.
A scuffle followed.
Evelyn threatened to tell the neighborhood that Mrs.
Alvarez had been trespassing.
The older woman finally stepped outside, but the recording caught her saying, “I am calling Michael, and I am calling the police.”
That explained why the front door had been unlocked when Michael arrived.
It also gave detectives a living witness who had seen Evelyn mopping while Clara and Lily remained on the floor.
By the time the recording ended, Daniel had stopped protesting.
He sat with his head bowed, his covered wrist trembling against his knee.
Evelyn remained rigid.
“She manipulated that toy,” she said.
“Clara planned all of this because she hates me.”
Detective Chen leaned forward.
“Your voice is on the recording discussing stolen money, a custody plan, poison, and cleaning the scene.”
“Daniel brought the bottle.”
Daniel’s head snapped up.
The betrayal happened so quickly that even Michael was surprised.
“You told me it was harmless,” Daniel said.
