Chapter 1 - The Red Light
The first thing Daniel Price saw was his wife holding a steaming iron six inches from his baby's crib.
The second was the red light on the nursery camera blinking back to life.
For one terrible second, he couldn't move. Noah was crying so hard his little chest hitched between breaths. Vanessa stood over him, her beautiful face empty of the softness she showed whenever Daniel walked into a room.
Maria, the housekeeper, crouched beside the wall outlet. She looked up at the camera as though she knew exactly who would be watching.
Daniel grabbed his phone. "Police. I need officers at my house. My wife has a hot iron next to my six-month-old son."
The dispatcher kept him talking while he ran from his office. His shoulder struck the hallway wall. A framed family photograph fell and shattered behind him.
Inside the nursery, Vanessa heard his footsteps. She turned, and her expression rearranged itself into surprise.
"Daniel? What's wrong?"
"Put it down."
"I was just—"
"On the dresser. Now."
She lowered the iron onto its heatproof stand. Steam hissed. Daniel crossed the room and lifted Noah, keeping his shaking hands away from the hot metal. The baby buried his wet face against Daniel's collar.
"It's okay. I've got you."
Vanessa glanced at Maria. "Tell him why you brought that thing in here."
Maria straightened slowly. "I didn't bring it."
"You were standing beside the outlet."
"Because you unplugged the camera."
Daniel stared at his wife. Four months earlier, he'd buried Noah's mother, Elise. Six weeks ago, he'd married Vanessa, the woman who had helped him survive the worst days. He knew how foolish the speed looked. He had called it a second chance.
Now she stood between his son and an iron that had no reason to be in a nursery.
"Why would you disconnect the camera?" he asked.
Vanessa smiled with her lips but not her eyes. "You should be asking Maria what she promised me she'd do."
Maria's face drained of color.
"What promise?" Daniel said.
May you like
Vanessa looked at the frightened woman and answered for her.
"The one about keeping your little boy alive."
