Chapter 8 - The Digital Eye
Arthur reached into the pocket of his soaked trousers. His hand closed around the cool metal and glass of his smartphone. Despite the plunge into the swimming pool, the high-end device was fully water-resistant, its screen lighting up under his touch with a crisp blue glow.
He didn't look at Elena as she stepped out of the lounge chair, taking a cautious step toward them. He ignored her completely. His thumb wiped away a layer of pool water from the tempered glass surface, opening a secured application with a quick biometric scan of his face.
Two weeks ago, driven by a growing sense of dread, Arthur had quietly bypassed his own home security contractor. He had personally installed four micro-cameras hidden within the architectural flourishes of his private master study and the adjoining library. They were unlisted, running on an isolated, encrypted network. As the app loaded, a tight close-up focused on the smartphone interface held in his trembling, wet hand.
