The Nanny Was Not the Killer
Chapter 1: My Nanny Didn't Kill My Father
"My nanny didn't kill my father!"
The courtroom doors flew open.
A little girl in a pink princess dress ran barefoot down the aisle, her hair loose, her cheeks wet with tears. Two bailiffs reached for her, but she was too fast. She stopped in the center of the courtroom and pointed toward the judge with both hands shaking.
Everyone froze.
At the defense table, Emma Hale lifted her head.
She was the nanny on trial for murdering billionaire Andrew Whitmore, the father of the child now standing in the aisle. For six months, the newspapers had called Emma a jealous servant, a liar, and a killer.
But Andrew's daughter, Lily, was looking at her like she was the only safe person in the room.
"Lily," Emma whispered.
A blonde woman in the front row stood so quickly her chair hit the floor.
"Lily, sit down," she snapped.
That woman was Victoria Whitmore, Andrew's widow.
Lily turned toward her stepmother and pointed.
"She's lying!"
The courtroom erupted.
Victoria's face twisted. "Get her out of here!"
But Lily did not move. She looked up at the judge, an elderly woman with silver hair and sharp eyes.
"I saw what happened," Lily said.
The judge leaned forward.
"What did you see?"
Lily reached into the pocket of her dress and pulled out a small pink recorder with an old antenna. Her tiny fingers pressed the button.
Static filled the room.
Then Andrew Whitmore's voice came through.
"If anything happens to me, Lily, give this to Judge Hart."
The judge went still.
Victoria stopped breathing.
Lily lifted her chin.
"My daddy recorded everything."
