Chapter 4 - Fire in the NurseryDaniel ran upstairs.
She was still wearing the same pearl earrings and cream coat she had worn to the hospital.
“You left Claire?”
“She’s sleeping. I wanted to check on Owen.”
Margaret glanced upstairs.
Daniel descended slowly.
“You were worried about him?”
“Of course.”
“Interesting.”
She stopped.
“What does that mean?”
Daniel held up the memory card.
For the first time in Daniel’s life, he watched his mother’s face lose all expression.
Only for half a second.
Then she smiled.
“What’s that?”
“You tell me.”
“I have no idea.”
Daniel studied her.
As a child, he had believed Margaret Parker was incapable of lying.
She had raised Daniel and his younger brother after their father died.
She had worked two jobs.
She attended every school play.
Every football game.
Every graduation ceremony.
When Daniel’s first wife, Emily, died from cancer five years earlier, Margaret practically moved into his home to help with Owen.
She had been his anchor.
His adviser.
His conscience.
And now he had a video of her planting evidence inside his eight-year-old son’s backpack.
Daniel held out his phone.
“Watch.”
Margaret didn’t move.
“I’m tired.”
“Watch.”
Daniel pressed play.
Her own image appeared.
Prenatal vitamin bottle.
Owen’s backpack.
Her hands.
Her smile toward the camera.
Margaret watched silently.
When the clip ended, Daniel asked,
“Explain it.”
She took a slow breath.
“Owen had been hiding Claire’s vitamins.”
Daniel stared.
“So you put them in his backpack?”
“I found them in his room.”
“That isn’t what this video shows.”
“I was returning them.”
“To his backpack?”
“I was going to confront him.”
Daniel stepped closer.
“And the man?”
“What man?”
The video replayed.
The unidentified voice said,
“We’ll need something bigger next time.”
Margaret’s recorded voice replied,
“Leave that to me.”
Daniel paused.
“Who is he?”
Margaret’s expression hardened.
“That recording has obviously been edited.”
“By whom?”
“Owen.”
Daniel almost laughed.
“You think my eight-year-old son professionally edited surveillance footage?”
“Owen didn’t do it himself.”
“Then who?”
Margaret said nothing.
Daniel lowered his voice.
“Who installed that camera?”
“I don’t know.”
“You looked directly at it.”
“I probably noticed the light.”
“It’s the size of a pencil eraser.”
“I notice things.”
Daniel’s jaw tightened.
“Yes.”
He thought about every incident involving Owen.
Margaret always noticed.
The torn ultrasound picture?
Margaret found it.
The missing vitamins?
Margaret found them.
The open nursery window?
Margaret discovered Owen’s muddy shoes.
The threatening note?
Margaret was the first person to see it.
The pattern suddenly looked different.
Daniel said quietly,
“You always found the evidence.”
Margaret’s eyes changed.
“Be careful what you’re accusing me of.”
“I haven’t accused you of anything yet.”
“You’re accusing your own mother because you’re desperate not to admit your son needs help.”
“My son may need help because someone has been terrorizing him.”
“You’re being emotional.”
The phrase stopped Daniel cold.
It was something Margaret had said hundreds of times.
Whenever Daniel questioned her.
Whenever Owen defended himself.
Whenever Claire expressed discomfort.
You’re being emotional.
Daniel walked toward the front door.
“You need to leave.”
Margaret stared.
“This is my family’s house.”
“It’s my house.”
“I practically raised Owen in it.”
“And tonight you’re leaving it.”
“Daniel—”
“Now.”
For a moment, Margaret’s face twisted with something Daniel had never seen before.
Rage.
Not hurt.
Not sadness.
Pure rage.
Then it disappeared.
She calmly lifted her purse.
“You will regret this.”
Daniel opened the door.
Margaret stepped outside.
Before leaving, she turned.
“When Claire loses that baby, remember that I tried to warn you.”
Daniel slammed the door.
Upstairs, Owen had heard everything.
The boy was sitting on his bed when Daniel entered.
“Why didn’t you tell me you knew about Grandma?”
Owen stared at the floor.
“I didn’t know.”
“You said, ‘You saw Grandma.’”
Owen nodded.
“Because I saw her before.”
Daniel sat.
“Doing what?”
Owen hesitated.
“One night I woke up thirsty.”
“When?”
“A long time ago.”
“How long?”
“Before the baby party.”
Claire’s baby shower had been six weeks earlier.
“I went downstairs and Grandma was in the kitchen.”
“What was she doing?”
“She was writing.”
“What?”
“The note.”
Daniel’s stomach tightened.
“What note?”
“The one that said I hated Claire.”
Daniel leaned forward.
“You saw her writing it?”
“I think.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
Owen’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because she saw me.”
“What did she say?”
Owen rubbed his hands together.
“She said if I told you, you’d think I was lying because everybody already knew I didn’t want another baby.”
Daniel felt physically sick.
“Did she threaten you?”
“She said you might send me away.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
Owen continued.
“She said Claire would make you choose.”
“Owen…”
“She said you’d pick the new baby.”
Daniel pulled his son into his arms.
Owen resisted for one second.
Then broke.
“I didn’t hurt her, Dad.”
“I know.”
“You didn’t believe me.”
Daniel’s throat tightened.
“No.”
Owen cried against his chest.
“You looked at me like I was bad.”
“I’m sorry.”
Daniel held him tighter.
“I am so sorry.”
For almost five minutes neither spoke.
Then Owen pulled back.
“There’s something else.”
Daniel wiped his son’s face.
“What?”
“The man.”
“What man?”
“The one on the video.”
“You recognized the voice?”
Owen nodded.
“I heard him talking to Grandma.”
“When?”
“Last week.”
“Where?”
“In Grandpa’s old office.”
Daniel went still.
His father’s office had been locked for years.
“Who was it?”
Owen whispered the name.
Daniel’s entire body turned cold.
“Uncle Marcus.”
Daniel stared.
Marcus Parker.
Daniel’s younger brother.
His business partner.
His best friend.
The man who had been sitting beside him in court when he won custody of Owen after Emily’s death.
The man scheduled to become godfather to Claire’s baby.
Daniel stood immediately.
“Where is Marcus?”
Owen looked frightened.
“I don’t know.”
Daniel grabbed his phone and called.
Straight to voicemail.
He called again.
Nothing.
Then a notification appeared.
Motion detected: nursery.
Daniel opened the security app.
The screen showed Claire’s nursery.
Someone was standing beside the crib.
Wearing black gloves.
Daniel enlarged the image.
Marcus turned toward the camera.
May you like
And smiled.
Then he lifted a red gasoline can.
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