Chapter 2 - THE CAMERAThe ambulance arrived six minutes later.
Six minutes.
Eleanor would remember every second.
The mansion’s front gates opened.
Red and blue lights washed across the stone walls.
Paramedics rushed inside.
Sarah was placed onto a stretcher.
“Any abdominal pain?”
“Yes.”
“Contractions?”
“I don’t know.”
“Baby moving?”
Sarah closed her eyes.
She waited.
Nothing.
Her eyes opened.
“My baby…”
The paramedic placed a hand on her shoulder.
“We’re taking you to the hospital now.”
Eleanor stepped forward.
“I’m her mother-in-law.”
The paramedic ignored her.
Sarah reached for Arthur’s hand.
“Please come with me.”
Arthur nodded.
“I will.”
Daniel was still out of town.
His phone had been unreachable for almost an hour.
Eleanor watched as Sarah disappeared through the front doors.
Then her voice became sharp.
“Where is Daniel?”
A maid answered nervously.
“Mr. Vance is in Chicago.”
Eleanor turned toward Arthur.
“What video?”
Arthur slipped his phone into his pocket.
“The police will see it.”
“You think I can’t have that phone destroyed?”
Arthur’s expression remained calm.
“You can destroy my phone.”
He looked toward the ceiling.
“You cannot destroy the cloud backup.”
Eleanor’s breathing changed.
“You recorded me?”
“For years,” Arthur said.
“Why?”
“Because people lie.”
Eleanor stepped closer.
“You have no idea what you’re involving yourself in.”
“I know exactly what I saw.”
A police cruiser stopped outside.
Two officers entered.
Eleanor immediately changed her face.
Tears appeared.
“My poor daughter-in-law,” she whispered.
Arthur almost laughed.
Almost.
The officers approached.
“Who called?”
“I did,” Arthur said.
“Name?”
“Arthur Bell.”
The officer looked at Sarah’s abandoned handbag on the staircase.
“What happened?”
Eleanor answered first.
“She lost her balance.”
Arthur said nothing.
The officer looked at him.
“And you?”
“I saw what happened.”
“Was she pushed?”
Arthur looked at Eleanor.
“Yes.”
Eleanor’s voice cracked.
“That is ridiculous.”
The officer turned to her.
“Ma’am, step aside.”
“I’m Eleanor Vance.”
“I know.”
That answer surprised her.
The officer continued.
“We need everyone separated until we understand what happened.”
Eleanor stared at Arthur.
For forty years, he had opened doors for her.
Carried her bags.
Served her dinner.
Known her schedule.
Known her secrets.
Now he was looking at her like a stranger.
At the hospital, doctors rushed Sarah into examination.
Twenty minutes later, a nurse came out.
“Mr. Bell?”
Arthur stood immediately.
“Yes?”
“The baby has a heartbeat.”
He exhaled.
“But there’s concern. Her blood pressure is elevated, and we need to monitor her.”
Arthur nodded.
“Can I see her?”
“Not yet.”
Sarah lay alone in the examination room.
She stared at the ceiling.
Then she remembered Eleanor’s words.
You don’t belong in this family.
Neither does that baby.
Her hand moved over her stomach.
“Please,” she whispered.
Another nurse entered.
“Mrs. Vance?”
Sarah turned.
“We found something in your purse.”
The nurse placed a small black flash drive on the bed.
Sarah stared at it.
“What is that?”
“It was hidden inside the lining.”
Sarah frowned.
“I’ve never seen it before.”
The nurse lowered her voice.
“Security says it may have been placed there intentionally.”
Sarah’s heart began to race.
“Why?”
“I don’t know.”
The nurse left.
Sarah stared at the flash drive.
Then the door opened again.
Arthur walked in.
His expression was different.
Not frightened.
Serious.
“Sarah.”
“What happened?”
Arthur closed the door.
“The camera footage is worse than you think.”
Sarah swallowed.
“What did it show?”
Arthur looked at the flash drive.
Then back at her.
“It showed Eleanor wasn’t the only person watching you.”
Sarah froze.
“What do you mean?”
Arthur sat beside her.
“Someone has been monitoring you for weeks.”
“Who?”
Arthur hesitated.
Then he said:
“Daniel.”
Sarah’s heart stopped.
“No.”
Arthur pulled out his phone.
He opened a still image from a security camera.
Daniel stood outside Sarah’s bedroom.
At 2:13 in the morning.
He was holding a key.
Behind him stood Eleanor.
Sarah stared at the screen.
“That wasn’t the worst part.”
Arthur swiped.
Another image appeared.
Daniel and Eleanor were standing beside the nursery.
And between them was a man Sarah had never seen before.
Arthur zoomed in.
Sarah’s blood ran cold.
The man was holding a folder.
May you like
Across the front was a single word.
ADOPTION.
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