Chapter 3
Vanessa ran to the door before I could move.
She opened it and collapsed into Marvin’s arms.
“He attacked me,” she sobbed.
I stared.
Marvin looked past her at me with rehearsed outrage.
“Mr. Hale, step away from my client.”
One officer entered.
The other followed.
Noah clutched my shirt.
“Daddy, no.”
Vanessa pointed at him.
“He stabbed my pregnant belly with a needle. Daniel told him to do it.”
“That is a lie,” I said.
Marvin held up papers.
“We filed a report earlier today expressing concern about escalating violence in the home.”
My mother whispered, “Earlier today?”
Of course.
They had planned this.
The needle.
The fear.
The police.
Everything.
Vanessa lifted the deflated balloon from the floor and tried to hide it behind her dress.
Grace stepped forward.
“No.”
She snatched it from Vanessa’s hand and held it up.
“This is her pregnancy.”
The officers froze.
I handed them the phone.
“Watch the videos.”
Marvin’s face hardened.
“I advise against reviewing illegally obtained recordings.”
The older officer looked at him.
“A child recorded possible abuse and fraud in his own home. I’ll decide what I review.”
He watched.
His face changed.
Then he watched the second video.
When Vanessa tried to leave, Grace blocked her.
My mother finally moved.
She stood beside Noah.
Not Vanessa.
Not appearances.
My son.
The officer looked at Marvin.
“Are you the man in this video?”
Marvin said nothing.
The officer turned to Vanessa.
“Ma’am, you need to come with us.”
Vanessa screamed.
“I am the victim!”
Noah began shaking so hard I dropped to my knees.
“You did good,” I whispered. “You were brave.”
He cried into my shoulder.
“Are you mad I popped it?”
I held him tighter.
“No. I’m sorry you had to.”
As Vanessa was led outside, she turned back once.
Her face was twisted.
“This isn’t over, Daniel.”
May you like
I believed her.
That scared me.
