Chapter 1 - The Fall
The sound was wrong.
Not a toy hitting wood. Not a door slamming.
A child’s body striking the edge of a stair.
Anna dropped the laundry basket before she even saw Leo.
“LEO!”
The two-year-old was tumbling down the wide staircase, one sock missing, his little hands grabbing at air. Anna ran so fast her shoulder slammed into the banister. She threw herself across the bottom landing and caught him against her chest less than a foot above the marble.
Leo screamed and wrapped both arms around her neck.
“I’ve got you. I’ve got you.” Anna’s voice shook harder than his. “You’re safe.”
Then she looked up.
Vanessa Blackwood stood at the top of the stairs.
Perfect hair. Cream silk blouse. One hand still hanging over the railing.
Anna’s fear turned cold.
“You pushed him.”
Vanessa blinked. “Excuse me?”
“I saw your hand.”
“He slipped.”
“He was behind the gate.”
Vanessa’s eyes sharpened. “Careful, Anna.”
Leo buried his face against Anna’s neck.
Footsteps sounded from the foyer.
Richard Blackwood entered carrying a leather briefcase, rain on his coat. He took one look at Anna on the floor with his crying son and went pale.
“What happened?”
Vanessa came down three steps, already crying.
“Thank God you’re home. Anna left the gate open. Leo fell.”
Anna stared at her. “That is a lie.”
Richard looked between them. “Stop. Both of you. Is he hurt?”
“I caught him,” Anna said. “But he needs to be checked.”
Vanessa pointed at her. “She’s been careless for weeks.”
“You pushed him!” Anna shouted.
Richard’s jaw tightened. “Anna.”
The warning in his tone hit her harder than she expected.
Then Leo lifted his head.
His cheeks were wet. His lower lip trembled.
“Daddy.”
Richard rushed closer. “I’m here, buddy.”
Leo raised one tiny finger.
Not at Vanessa.
At the black dome above the staircase.
“Cam-ra.”
No one moved.
Anna slowly looked up.
A red light blinked once.
Then again.
Recording.
Vanessa stopped crying.
Richard noticed.
He looked at his sister. “Why did your face just change?”
“It didn’t.”
Richard handed Anna his phone. “Call Dr. Hayes. Tell him we’re coming in.”
Then he walked toward the security panel.
Vanessa stepped in front of him.
“Richard, Leo needs you.”
“I know.” His voice became quiet. “That’s why I’m going to see what happened.”
For the first time since Anna had known her, Vanessa looked afraid.
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And when Richard entered his security code, the screen flashed a message that made all three adults go silent.
STAIRCASE CAMERA: FOOTAGE DELETED 3 MINUTES AGO.
