Chapter 2 - Lock the Gates
“Lock every gate.”
Tomas Bell, head of security, touched two fingers to his earpiece. “North gate sealed. Garage sealed. Service road sealed.”
Gregory snapped, “You’re turning a family reception into a hostage situation.”
“You hid my seven-year-old son inside a wall.”
“I was protecting him.”
“From what?”
Gregory looked at Noah.
That was answer enough.
Valeria crouched beside her son. “Tell me exactly what happened.”
Noah squeezed the bear so hard its stitched ear bent.
“I went to Dad’s office because I wanted the blue markers. Uncle Luca was there. Dad was mad.”
“What were they saying?”
Noah swallowed.
“Uncle Luca said, ‘If she signs, we control everything. If she doesn’t, Plan B starts at midnight.’ Then Dad said, ‘What about the kid?’”
Gregory stepped forward. “He’s confused.”
Noah flinched.
Valeria stood between them.
“Take one more step and Tomas breaks your wrist.”
Tomas did not blink.
Noah continued. “I knocked over a glass. Dad saw me. He told me we were playing hide-and-seek. Then he took me upstairs and pushed the mirror away.”
“Did Luca go with you?”
“No. Uncle Luca left first.”
Valeria looked toward the ballroom doors. Luca’s chair remained empty. His phone rang straight to voicemail.
Gregory shook his head. “This is insane. He’s a child.”
“He’s a witness.”
Valeria sent the guests home under escort and went upstairs with Tomas.
The hidden room held only a folding chair and a locked steel cabinet.
Tomas forced it open.
Inside were medical forms, a prepaid phone, a bottle of Valeria’s prescription sleep medication, and a thick envelope stamped EMERGENCY PETITION.
Valeria opened it.
Her name was at the top.
Petition to declare Valeria Romano temporarily incompetent due to substance abuse, instability, and danger to a minor.
The signature at the bottom belonged to Gregory.
The witness signature belonged to Luca.
And attached behind it was a custody order transferring Noah to Gregory effective at 12:01 a.m.
Valeria checked the clock.
11:37 p.m.
May you like
Then Tomas’s radio crackled.
“Boss, somebody just opened the south tunnel from inside the house.”
