Chapter 3 - THE LINEN ROOM
The first officers arrived before Grant could get his story straight.
He tried charm first.
"This is a family misunderstanding."
Then status.
"Do you know who I am?"
Then outrage.
"That man attacked us."
The youngest officer surveyed the broken glass, Lily, and the suddenly talkative witnesses.
"We'll speak to everyone," he said.
Vivian insisted the officers had no reason to go upstairs.
Maria gave them one.
She led them to the west corridor, past guest rooms and a locked nursery, to a narrow door beside the laundry stairs.
The linen room smelled like detergent and dust.
There was no window.
Inside sat a blanket, a plastic cup, and worn crayons. On the wall Lily had drawn a house, herself, and a black figure with no face.
Dante felt Lily squeeze his finger.
"Who is that?"
She whispered, "Vivi."
Vivian laughed too loudly from the hall. "She's three. She draws nonsense."
An officer photographed everything.
Then Ellen found something behind the blanket.
A folded piece of paper.
It was not Lily's drawing.
It was a printed schedule titled BEHAVIOR CORRECTION ROUTINE.
Underneath were handwritten notes.
No dessert after crying.
No bedroom light after 8:00.
Closet time: 5 minutes for every tantrum.
Grant stared at the page as if he had never seen it.
"Mrs. Mercer," Rachel said, "did you write this?"
Vivian crossed her arms. "It was recommended."
"By whom?"
For the first time, Vivian hesitated.
Grant looked at her.
Not lovingly.
Not protectively.
Suspiciously.
Vivian finally said, "A specialist."
Rachel held out her hand. "Name?"
Vivian's eyes moved toward the nursery door.
Dante followed her gaze.
The nursery was locked.
Grant saw it too.
"What is in there?" he demanded.
Vivian said nothing.
Grant took a key from his pocket.
Vivian went white.
"Grant, don't."
He unlocked the door.
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Inside, on Lily's dresser, sat a camera pointed directly at the child's bed.
And the red recording light was still on.
