Chapter 1 - Grant Saw the Broken Vase
Grant Mercer opened his front door and stopped cold.
His twelve-month-old son was screaming.
Noah crouched behind the sofa in light blue pajamas, reaching desperately toward Tessa Monroe.
Tessa stood between him and Vivienne Cross.
One hand covered the side of her bleeding head.
A shattered vase lay across the carpet.
Vivienne still had one arm raised.
Nobody moved.
Grant's eyes went first to Noah.
Then Tessa.
Then Vivienne.
“What happened?”
Vivienne recovered first.
“She attacked me.”
Tessa stared at her.
“You're lying.”
Vivienne pointed at her reddened cheek.
“She slapped me and smashed the vase.”
Grant crossed the room and lifted Noah.
His son immediately buried his face against Grant's chest.
“Hey. Daddy's here.”
Noah wouldn't stop shaking.
Grant looked at Tessa.
“Are you hurt?”
“I'll be okay.”
Vivienne laughed bitterly.
“Of course she's the victim.”
Tessa's expression changed.
Grant noticed.
“What?”
Tessa swallowed.
“She kicked Noah.”
Grant became completely still.
Vivienne snapped, “That's insane.”
“I watched you do it.”
“You're a caregiver who wants money.”
Tessa stepped forward.
“You kicked a baby in the head.”
Grant's jaw tightened.
“Enough.”
Vivienne immediately softened her voice.
“Grant, listen to me.”
He didn't.
He carried Noah toward the hallway.
“I'm taking my son to the hospital.”
Vivienne followed.
“You can't leave me here with her!”
Grant turned.
“Then leave.”
Her face changed.
“Excuse me?”
“Get out of my house.”
Vivienne stared at him.
“You're throwing me out because the nanny slapped me?”
“Tessa isn't his nanny.”
Vivienne froze.
Grant looked at Tessa.
“She was hired by Noah's mother before she died. She's been part of his life since he was born.”
Something flickered across Vivienne's face.
Fear.
Grant caught it.
That was strange.
Vivienne knew who Tessa was.
Why would hearing about Noah's mother frighten her?
Tessa suddenly looked toward the ceiling.
“Grant.”
“What?”
She pointed.
The security camera above the entryway.
Vivienne followed her finger.
Her face drained.
Grant slowly looked up.
A tiny green light was blinking.
Recording.
Vivienne lunged toward the console.
Grant stepped between her and the camera.
“What are you doing?”
“Nothing.”
“You were just trying to reach it.”
Vivienne backed away.
Tessa whispered:
“She thought you disconnected those cameras.”
Grant stared at her.
“I did.”
Then he looked at the blinking green light.
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Someone had turned this one back on.
And judging by Vivienne's face, she already knew what else it might have recorded.
