Nobody moved.

Nobody breathed.

The judge frowned.

"What do you mean?"

Sophie wiped her tears.

"Before Daddy died, he gave me the toy phone."

The pink phone suddenly seemed much more important.

"He told me it was our secret game."

The child looked down at it.

"He said if anything bad ever happened, I should listen to message number seven."

A chill moved through the courtroom.

The judge exchanged a glance with the prosecutor.

Sophie pressed another button.

A different recording began.

This time everyone recognized the voice immediately.

Daniel Carter.

The victim.

Sophie's father.

His voice was calm.

Steady.

As though he knew someone would eventually hear it.

"Hi, sweetheart."

The little girl burst into tears.

The courtroom listened.

"If you're hearing this, it means I couldn't protect you myself."

Even the judge's expression softened.

Daniel continued.

"I need you to be brave."

A pause.

Then the words that changed everything.

"If anything happens to me, it wasn't Maria."

Maria covered her mouth.

Tears streamed down her face.

The courtroom erupted into whispers.

Daniel's voice continued.

"Maria has always protected you."

Another pause.

Then:

"The person you need to be afraid of is someone much closer."

The widow staggered backward.

"No."

Daniel's voice spoke one final sentence.

"The evidence is hidden where Sophie keeps her art supplies."

The recording ended.

The courtroom exploded into chaos.

Because suddenly this wasn't a murder trial anymore.

It was the beginning of a murder investigation.