He was careful to explain that the business had no automatic right to seize private recordings, and that he would need Desmond’s authorization for the home’s equipment.

Desmond provided it.

Gideon found that three cameras inside Pearl’s floor had been routed to a private viewing account registered through an outside vendor.

Desmond’s account had access only to the edited daily summaries.

“Who receives the full feed?” he asked.

The vendor records pointed to Vivian’s personal office.

Desmond went quiet.

Then he asked a question that should have been asked a year earlier.