Chapter 2
The camera was not Valeria’s.
That fact took less than an hour to establish.
Her security chief, Thomas Hale—no relation to Gregory—removed the bear only after Noah agreed to let him.
The camera module connected wirelessly to a small receiver discovered behind the ballroom television cabinet.
The receiver had been plugged into the same presentation switcher used for the winter slideshow.
That explained the accident.
The housekeeper had not hacked anything.
She pressed a remote meant to change photo sources.
Instead, the television changed to an unused HDMI input carrying the bear-camera receiver.
Someone had designed the system so the live feed could be watched inside the house.
Valeria stood beside Thomas in the ballroom after the last guests were gone.
“Who installed it?”
“We’ll know after we check network registration.”
Gregory sat twenty feet away with an attorney now beside him.
Diane was across the room.
Neither spoke.
Valeria turned toward Gregory.
“Did you put a camera in Noah’s bear?”
His attorney answered.
“My client is not answering questions until we understand what occurred.”
Valeria looked at Gregory instead of the lawyer.
He looked angry now.
Not embarrassed.
Not ashamed.
Angry.
That mattered.
Thomas returned with a tablet.
“The camera has been connected to the estate guest network for nine weeks.”
Valeria’s expression changed.
“Registered by?”
“The device name was changed, but the initial setup log survives.”
He showed her.
The account used during registration belonged to Gregory.
Silence.
Valeria looked at her husband.
His attorney whispered something to him.
Gregory finally spoke.
“It was a safety camera.”
“For what?”
“To monitor Noah.”
“Inside a stuffed bear?”
“He carries it everywhere.”
“So you can monitor him everywhere?”
“I was worried about him.”
Valeria stared.
“You locked him inside a soundproof room.”
“I put him somewhere quiet.”
“He was pounding on a metal door asking for me.”
“He was having a tantrum.”
Valeria’s expression became colder.
“He was wearing filthy clothes that do not belong to him.”
Gregory looked away.
First hesitation.
“What are they for?”
His attorney interrupted again.
Valeria raised one hand.
“I’m asking my husband why our son was dressed like that.”
Gregory finally answered.
“He got dirty.”
“No.”
The voice came from behind them.
A young housekeeper named Rachel stood near the service doors.
Everyone turned.
Rachel looked frightened.
But she continued.
“Mr. Hale changed his clothes upstairs.”
Gregory’s attorney objected immediately.
Valeria ignored him.
“You saw it?”
Rachel nodded.
“I brought clean towels to the dressing room. Mr. Hale told me to leave them outside.”
“And?”
“I saw Noah in his navy suit when they went in.”
She swallowed.
“Ten minutes later Mr. Hale came out carrying the suit in a garment bag.”
Valeria looked at Gregory.
His own clothes had not been dirty.
May you like
Noah’s had been changed deliberately.
That was the first clue that the room had been built for more than punishment.
