Mark turned around and walked toward the large framed painting on the wall.
The USA flag artwork had hung above the grand staircase for many years.
Evelyn took a quick step backward toward the top landing of the stairs.
Evelyn: Mark, do not waste your precious time looking at silly paintings!
Mark: My mother put that frame up herself right before she passed away.
Mark reached his hand behind the heavy wooden border of the frame.
His fingers touched a small black metal box hidden inside the wall niche.
Mark: There is a compact lens mounted right inside the frame corner.
Sarah: Your mother wanted to protect her antique collection from any theft.
Sarah: She showed me the hidden security camera during my very first week.
Evelyn gripped the polished wooden banister with both of her hands tightly.
Evelyn: That old camera probably stopped working many years ago anyway!
Mark: It connects directly to my phone app through the home security system.
Mark pulled his smartphone out from his jacket pocket with quick speed.
He opened the security application and loaded the live hallway camera feed.
Mark: The lens records twenty-four hours a day onto a secure drive.
Sarah stood quietly while cradling baby Leo in her gentle warm arms.
Leo rested his tiny head against Sarah's shoulder, completely calm and safe.
Evelyn: Mark, darling, let us talk about this in the private study upstairs.
Mark: Stay right where you are on those stairs, Evelyn.
Mark tapped his thumb on the screen to rewind the morning video file.
The high-definition video loaded clearly on his bright phone screen.
He watched the exact footage from just five short minutes ago in silence.
The camera captured Evelyn standing alone near the top stair landing.
It clearly showed Evelyn reaching out and shoving the heavy glass cradle hard.
Mark: You deliberately knocked my mother's heirloom down the marble steps!
Evelyn: I can explain everything if you just listen to me!
Mark: You tried to frame Sarah and blamed her for destroying my family history!