Ethan Was Accused of Taking Clothes Without Permission — Then the Garage Camera Showed Who Had Put Them There Before He Ever Touched the Box
Chapter 5 — The Clothes That Belonged to Someone Else
Claire looked surprised.
“What do you mean?”
Ethan pulled out two button-down shirts.
“These are Uncle Jason’s.”
Claire stared.
“You’re right.”
Jason had visited the previous month.
He left a small bag of clothing after changing for a family dinner.
Claire had mistakenly mixed it with old closet items while cleaning.
Ethan had recognized the shirts.
That was why his checklist said:
Old jeans — ask whose.
Daniel looked toward Claire.
“So if Ethan had just assumed everything in the pile was free to donate…”
Claire finished:
“We could have given Jason’s clothes away.”
Ethan nodded.
“That’s why I was checking.”
Daniel looked embarrassed again.
His son had actually been doing the cautious thing Daniel accused him of ignoring.
Claire separated Jason’s shirts.
Then found another unfamiliar sweater.
“Whose is this?”
Ethan looked at it.
“No idea.”
Daniel laughed weakly.
“Apparently this garage is a lost-and-found.”
The tension eased slightly.
But Ethan did not laugh much.
Daniel noticed.
“You’re still upset.”
Ethan looked toward him.
“You asked if I was selling your stuff.”
Daniel said nothing.
“You didn’t even let me finish one sentence.”
Claire looked toward Daniel.
Ethan continued.
“I said the clothes were already here.”
“You acted like I was lying.”
Daniel’s face changed.
“I shouldn’t have.”
“But you did.”
“Yes.”
Ethan looked toward the camera.
“If that wasn’t there, would you have believed me?”
Daniel opened his mouth.
Then stopped.
Because he did not know the answer.
And Ethan could see that.
