Brooke's Suspension

The recorder was pink, plastic, and shaped like a toy microphone from a party favor bag.

Sophie had kept it in a box of broken crayons because Miles told her every spy needed terrible equipment. Nora sat on Sophie's bedroom floor and tried not to shake as Brooke checked the battery.

"Did Dad tell you to record anyone?" Nora asked.

"No. He said if adults talked over me, I could press the button and prove I was there."

Brooke looked at Nora. Miles had made a child's toy into a witness tool because he knew adults erased children first.

The device held three files.

The first was Sophie singing half a song. The second was Miles laughing. The third began with car noise, rain, and Judith's voice.

Nora stopped breathing.

Judith said, "You cannot put a hearing request on record and still expect me to protect your family."

Miles answered, close to the microphone, "They are protected because the hearing is on record."

"Nora is not built for this."

"You do not get to measure my wife."

A child's small voice said, "Grandma, your flowers smell too much."

Sophie covered her own mouth.

On the recording, Judith's tone changed. "Sophie, darling, why don't you wait inside with the cartoons?"

A car door opened. Rain grew louder. Then Judith, quieter: "If you make me choose between my son and what I built, you will lose twice."

The recording ended.

Nora looked at Sophie, then at the toy in Brooke's hand.

"This was before the crash."

Brooke nodded. "Same night, based on rain and context."

Nora stood, too fast.

"Then Sophie saw her."

"He sent me inside," Sophie whispered. "But Grandma had flowers in Dad's car. I remembered."

Brooke's phone buzzed.

Harbor Union termination notice: Brooke Chen, effective immediately.

She read it once and put the phone facedown.

"Good," she said. "Now I can be honest full time."