Richard looked up toward the eaves, tracing the black dome lens mounted directly above the pool deck.
Richard: That camera covers the entire perimeter. Every square inch of the water.
Victoria: That camera has been broken for three weeks, Richard. You know the storm took out the patio wiring.
Richard: The electrician came on Tuesday. He finished rewiring the whole circuit before I left for the Chicago summit.
Victoria swallowed hard, her free hand adjusting the gold band on her finger.
Victoria: Well... he told me it was still malfunctioning. It hasn't been recording.
Maya: The green light has been blinking all afternoon, ma'am. It was blinking when I pulled Leo out.
Victoria: Shut up! Richard, our son needs dry clothes and a doctor. Are you really going to waste time playing detective out here in the wind?
Richard: Hand Leo to me.
Victoria: Richard, he needs his mother.
Richard: Victoria, give me my son.
The cold command in Richard's voice left no room for debate. Victoria loosened her grip reluctantly, and Richard swept Leo into his arms, wrapping his dry wool jacket around the boy's shivering shoulders.
Leo: Maya jumped in with her shoes on, Daddy. She swam under me and pushed me up.
Richard looked down at Maya's feet. Her canvas shoes were heavy with chlorinated water, muddy grass sticking to the sides.
Richard: Maya, come inside. We are going to the security office right now.
Victoria: This is an insult! If you march me into that room with the staff, I am calling my divorce lawyer!
Richard: Call whoever you want, Victoria. But if that camera recorded what Leo just said, you'll need a criminal defense attorney, not a divorce lawyer.
Victoria’s face drained of color as Richard strode past her toward the French doors.
Victoria: Richard! Wait! Let's talk about this privately in the bedroom!
Richard: There's nothing private about a boy nearly drowning on my estate. Follow me.
Maya followed two paces behind, holding her arms tight against her chest to stop the shaking, knowing that everything in her life hung on what that digital server had saved.