Chapter 1 - The Fall
“YOU MADE MOM LEAVE!”
Clara’s scream hit Daniel before he had both feet inside the house.
He dropped his suitcase in the foyer and looked up.
His eight-year-old daughter stood at the top of the staircase, crying so hard her shoulders shook. She had a little red toy car crushed against her chest like it was the only thing keeping her upright.
Victoria stood three steps below her.
Daniel’s mother.
Perfect hair. Perfect cream blouse. Perfect expression.
Except for her eyes.
They were cold.
“Shut up, little liar,” Victoria hissed.
Clara’s chin trembled. “I found the papers.”
Victoria froze.
Only for a second.
Then her hand shot out.
“Clara!”
Victoria grabbed the girl by the arm and shoved.
Daniel saw his daughter’s shoes leave the carpeted step.
He saw her small body tip backward into open air.
And then she was falling.
“CLARA!”
Daniel ran.
The marble floor seemed miles away and inches away at the same time. He threw himself forward, arms out, and caught her against his chest less than a yard from the floor.
Pain tore through his shoulder as he hit the marble, but Clara was in his arms.
Alive.
Shaking.
“I’m here,” he gasped. “Daddy’s here.”
She buried her face against him.
Then she pointed.
“Dad... she forged the documents.”
Daniel stopped breathing.
“What documents?”
“The ones about Mom.”
Victoria started down the stairs. “She doesn’t know what she’s saying.”
Clara pulled back enough to look at him. “She sent Mom to the psychiatric hospital.”
For four months, Daniel had believed Isabel suffered a breakdown while he was overseas handling the merger that could save his company. Victoria had told him Isabel was refusing visitors. She had said doctors wanted “quiet.” She had said Daniel’s calls made Isabel worse.
He had hated himself for staying away.
Now Clara was staring at him like he was the last adult left in the world.
Victoria reached the landing. “Daniel, listen to me. Clara has been upset since Isabel got sick.”
“Sick?” Clara shouted. “Mom wasn’t sick!”
Daniel pulled out his phone.
Victoria’s face tightened. “Who are you calling?”
“911.”
“You are not bringing police into this family.”
“You just threw my daughter off a staircase.”
“I tried to stop her from falling.”
Clara screamed, “SHE THREW ME!”
Then a soft mechanical sound came from above the foyer.
Whirrrrr.
Daniel looked up.
The security camera mounted near the ceiling slowly rotated toward them.
A tiny red light blinked.
Recording.
Victoria saw it too.
And for the first time in Daniel’s life, he watched his mother lose control of her face.
May you like
Clara tightened her arms around his neck.
“Dad,” she whispered, “that camera saw what she did last night too.”
