Chapter 4 - The Locked Nursery.
Adrian stood in the doorway unable to speak.
The room where Claire had once rocked Lily to sleep had been converted into a private campaign against him.
Red lines connected dates, photographs, receipts, and copies of his travel schedule.
There were notes beside missed school events.
There were printouts of business dinners with women's names circled when female executives had attended.
There were copies of prescriptions for sleeping medication Adrian had used briefly after Claire died.
Vanessa entered behind him.
"This looks worse than it is."
Adrian turned slowly.
"Then tell me what it is."
"Preparation."
"For what?"
"For protecting Lily if you collapsed again."
The word again was carefully chosen.
Adrian had spent six months in grief counseling after Claire's death.
He had struggled to sleep.
He had worked too much because returning to an empty bedroom had been unbearable.
But he had never been hospitalized, arrested, violent, or declared incompetent.
Vanessa had turned grief into evidence.
Margaret moved toward a stack of school reports.
"These aren't the reports the school sends home."
Adrian looked at her.
"What do you mean?"
Margaret lifted one page.
"Lily's teacher wrote that she was improving in reading."
"This copy says she is emotionally withdrawn and lacks reliable parental support."
Adrian took the paper.
The signature at the bottom resembled Lily's teacher's handwriting.
But the ink was too clean.
The entire report appeared to have been recreated.
Vanessa sighed.
"You two have already decided what you want to believe."
Adrian opened a desk drawer.
Inside were three unused notary stamps, blank letterhead from a medical practice he did not recognize, and a packet of signature-transfer paper.
Margaret covered her mouth.
Vanessa's face tightened.
"Those are not mine."
"They're in a locked room you control."
"Staff have keys."
"Margaret had one because she stole it."
Margaret flinched.
"I copied it."
Adrian looked at her.
"Why?"
The nanny hesitated.
"Because I was afraid."
"Of Vanessa?"
Margaret did not answer.
Vanessa seized the silence.
"There."
"You see?"
"She has been sneaking into private rooms and planting things."
Margaret's face reddened.
"I never planted anything."
Adrian raised a hand.
"Enough."
He pulled open the bottom drawer.
It was locked.
Vanessa moved closer.
"Leave that alone."
Adrian stared at her.
"Why?"
"Because some things in a marriage are private."
"You filed for control of my daughter's money."
"Privacy ended tonight."
He used Margaret's key.
It did not fit.
Adrian searched the desk.
Vanessa backed toward the door.
Margaret suddenly pointed toward a porcelain music box on the shelf.
"She always touches that before opening the drawer."
Vanessa's head snapped toward her.
Adrian lifted the music box.
A tiny brass key was taped underneath.
The drawer opened.
Inside was a red folder with Lily's name printed across the front.
Adrian opened it.
The first page was a draft petition for temporary custody.
The second was a proposed court order.
The third contained a typed statement supposedly written by Margaret.
Adrian read the first line aloud.
"I have personally observed Mr. Adrian Mercer become intoxicated and verbally aggressive in the presence of his daughter."
He looked at Margaret.
She had gone white.
"I never said that."
Vanessa's voice became hard.
"You were going to."
Everyone froze.
Vanessa realized what she had admitted.
Adrian took one step toward her.
"What did you just say?"
Vanessa opened her mouth.
Before she could answer, the lights in the east wing went out.
May you like
The hallway behind them disappeared into darkness.
Then Adrian heard the nursery door slam shut.
