Chapter 3

Grant arrived at the hospital forty minutes later.

He walked into the waiting area wearing a navy suit and the expression he used in board meetings when a deal was falling apart.

Calm.

Controlled.

Almost bored.

I had seen that look since we were teenagers.

Grant wore it when Dad caught him wrecking the family car.

He wore it when he lost three hundred thousand dollars on a reckless investment at twenty-six.

And now he was wearing it while my daughter was being examined for injuries.

He saw Detective Bennett beside me and stopped.

“Ethan.”

I stood.

“Did you delete the videos?”

His face didn’t move.

“What?”

“The security recordings.”

“No.”

“Someone logged in from the office.”

“That proves nothing.”

“You know my password.”

“So does Vanessa.”

“She was at home.”

“Maybe she remote-connected.”

Detective Bennett stepped forward.

“Grant Carter?”

He looked at her.

“Yes.”

“I’m Detective Bennett. I’d like to ask you a few questions.”

Grant gave me a look.

Not fear.

Warning.

“I think the family needs a moment before this

turns into something none of us can undo.”

I stepped closer.

“My daughter was thrown onto the floor.”

“I know what you think you saw.”

“What I think?”

“Ethan, videos can lack context.”

Maria stood up.

“What context makes that acceptable?”

Grant looked at her.

His expression became colder.

“This is a family matter.”

Maria flinched.

I moved in front of her.

“No. It stopped being a family matter when a baby got hurt.”

Grant lowered his voice.

“You’re emotional.”

“Of course I’m emotional.”

“And that’s why you shouldn’t make permanent decisions tonight.”

Detective Bennett interrupted.

“Mr. Carter, did you access your brother’s home security system today?”

“No.”

“Have you ever accessed it?”

Grant hesitated.

“Once, months ago. He asked me to.”

“Do you know the password?”

“I might.”

“Might?”

“I don’t memorize every password I see.”

I almost laughed.

Grant remembered everything.

Phone numbers.

Bank accounts.

License plates.

He once remembered a restaurant receipt down to the penny during an audit.

Detective Bennett knew he was lying too.

I could see it.

She continued.

“Where were you between six and seven this evening?”

“At the office.”

“Alone?”

“No.”

“With whom?”

Grant looked at me.

Then back at her.

“My attorney can answer further questions.”

That was it.

He had barely been asked three things.

And he was already hiding behind a lawyer.

The pediatrician returned before I could confront him again.

“Mr. Carter?”

I turned immediately.

“Is Lily okay?”

“The imaging is reassuring.”

My chest loosened.

“She has no skull fracture. No internal bleeding.”

I nearly collapsed from relief.

“But we are keeping her overnight for observation.”

“Of course.”

The doctor hesitated.

“There’s another issue.”

My relief vanished.

“What?”

“We found evidence of an older healing injury near her left wrist.”

I stared at him.

“What kind?”

“A small fracture.”

Maria covered her mouth.

I couldn’t breathe.

“A fracture?”

“It appears to be healing. Possibly ten days to two weeks old.”

I looked at Grant.

His face had gone pale.

Ten days to two weeks.

I had been in Chicago twelve days ago.

Maria had called Grant around that

time.

I walked toward him.

“You knew.”

He shook his head.

“No.”

“You knew something happened.”

“No.”

“Look at me!”

The waiting room went silent.

Grant’s jaw tightened.

“I knew Vanessa called me.”

My body froze.

“What?”

“She called after Maria called.”

“What did she say?”

“Ethan—”

“What did she say?”

Grant looked around.

Detective Bennett was watching him.

So was Maria.

So were two hospital security officers.

He lowered his voice.

“She said Lily fell out of a swing.”

Maria shook her head.

“There is no swing.”

Grant looked at her.

“She said there was.”

“We do not have one.”

I felt sick.

“You never called me.”

“I thought it was minor.”

“She told you our baby got hurt and you decided I didn’t need to know?”

“You were negotiating the Marston acquisition.”

I stared at him.

I truly stared.

As if I had never seen my brother before.

“That deal mattered more to you than Lily?”

“It mattered to you too.”

“Not more than my child.”

Grant looked away.

His silence answered more

than words could.

Detective Bennett stepped closer.

“When exactly did Vanessa call you?”

Grant sighed.

“I don’t remember.”

I pulled out my phone.

“Then I’ll check the phone records.”

His eyes snapped toward me.

There.

That tiny reaction again.

“What aren’t you telling me?”

“Nothing.”

“Why are you protecting her?”

“I’m protecting this family.”

“From what?”

He said nothing.

I stepped closer.

“From Vanessa?”

Still nothing.

“Or from you?”

His face hardened.

“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

A nurse came through the doorway.

“Mr. Carter, your daughter is awake.”

Everything else disappeared.

I followed her immediately.

Lily was lying inside a hospital crib.

Her tiny eyes were open.

She looked tired.

Confused.

A soft bandage covered the IV site on her hand.

I stood beside her and touched one finger to her cheek.

“Daddy’s here.”

Her fingers closed around mine.

That almost destroyed me.

I sat beside her for an hour.

Maybe two.

I lost track.

Maria went home only after Detective Bennett arranged for an officer to drive her.

Grant disappeared.

I

didn’t care where.

Vanessa called twenty-three times.

I ignored every call.

Then she started texting.

PLEASE LET ME SEE MY BABY.

ETHAN, I NEED YOU.

YOU ARE MISUNDERSTANDING EVERYTHING.

MARIA SET ME UP.

I WAS TRYING TO PROTECT LILY.

Then:

MY LAWYER SAYS YOU CANNOT KEEP A CHILD FROM HER MOTHER.

I showed that message to Detective Bennett.

“She may be right about one thing,” the detective said.

I looked at her.

“What?”

“This will become a custody issue very quickly.”

“She threw Lily.”

“You have evidence. That matters.”

“So she can’t take her.”

“I’m not a family court judge.”

My heart started pounding again.

Detective Bennett continued.

“We’re working with child protective services. Based on what we have tonight, I would strongly recommend you request an emergency protective order first thing in the morning.”

“First thing?”

“Yes.”

“What happens tonight?”

“She’s been instructed not to come to the hospital.”

“Instructed?”

“Mr. Carter, I understand why that doesn’t feel strong enough.”

“No, it doesn’t.”

“We are actively investigating.”

I looked at Lily.

“What if she

comes anyway?”

“Hospital security knows her name.”

I nodded.

But I didn’t relax.

At 1:17 a.m., my phone buzzed.

Unknown number.

I almost ignored it.

Then I read the message.

YOU THINK VANESSA IS THE ONLY ONE LYING TO YOU.

I sat up.

Another message came.

ASK YOUR BROTHER WHY HE WAS AT YOUR HOUSE LAST TUESDAY.

I stared at it.

Last Tuesday.

I had been in Boston.

Vanessa had told me Grant was in Philadelphia for a client meeting.

I typed back.

WHO IS THIS?

No answer.

I checked our exterior camera system.

The driveway camera had recordings.

I scrolled back.

Tuesday.

11:42 p.m.

A black Mercedes pulled into my driveway.

Grant’s car.

He got out.

Vanessa opened the front door before he reached it.