Chapter 5 - the locked room
Adrian did not fire Margaret.
Vanessa did not forgive him for that.
For the next two days, an invisible war filled the penthouse.
Vanessa became careful.
Too careful.
She spoke softly to Noah whenever Adrian was present.
She smiled at Margaret.
She behaved like a woman being secretly filmed because she was.
Adrian had activated two additional hallway cameras.
He told Vanessa they were temporary.
She said nothing.
Margaret knew temporary was a lie.
Adrian also canceled his upcoming trip to London.
That mattered more.
Vanessa had always depended on his absences.
Now Adrian remained home.
He worked from his study.
He ate breakfast with Noah.
He followed the child whenever Noah pointed toward something he could not explain.
On the third evening, Noah pointed toward the service corridor.
"Room."
Adrian crouched.
"What room?"
Noah pointed again.
"Mommy room."
Vanessa was out.
Margaret followed Adrian down the corridor.
Noah led them past the laundry room to a narrow storage door.
Adrian tried the handle.
Locked.
He frowned.
"This shouldn't be locked."
Margaret asked, "What's inside?"
"Cleaning supplies."
He retrieved a master key.
The door opened.
At first, nothing seemed strange.
Shelves.
Boxes.
Old luggage.
Cleaning products.
Then Noah began crying.
Adrian lifted him.
"What is it?"
The boy pointed toward the back wall.
"No."
Margaret looked.
A folding chair sat in the corner.
Beside it was Noah's blue blanket.
Adrian's face changed.
"Why is his blanket here?"
Margaret knelt.
On the floor beneath the chair were several crushed crackers.
And a child's plastic cup.
Adrian stared.
Margaret whispered, "She put him in here."
"No."
It sounded like Adrian was trying to convince himself.
Noah buried his face in his father's shoulder.
Adrian asked gently, "Did Mommy put you here?"
Noah nodded.
Margaret closed her eyes.
Adrian remained motionless.
Then he took out his phone.
He photographed everything.
"Do not touch anything."
Margaret nodded.
Adrian carried Noah upstairs.
He called Vanessa.
She returned forty minutes later.
She entered the penthouse furious.
"You searched my things."
Adrian stood beside the storage door.
"Our things."
"You had no right."
"My son was locked in here."
"He was not locked in."
"The door was locked."
"Afterward."
Adrian stared.
Vanessa realized her mistake.
Margaret saw it instantly.
So did Adrian.
"Afterward?"
Vanessa's expression tightened.
"I meant someone must have locked it afterward."
"Who?"
"Margaret."
Margaret stepped forward.
"No."
Vanessa pointed.
"You have keys."
"So do you."
"You want to destroy this family."
Margaret replied quietly, "I want the child safe."
Vanessa turned toward Adrian.
"This is what she does. She plants things. She writes her little notebook. She poisons you against me."
Adrian held up Noah's cup.
"Did she plant this?"
"Noah carries cups everywhere."
"The blanket?"
"Same answer."
"The crackers?"
"He's a toddler."
Adrian took a breath.
"Did you ever put him in this room?"
Vanessa did not answer.
"Yes or no."
She looked toward Margaret.
"Leave."
Adrian said, "She stays."
Vanessa laughed.
"Of course."
"Answer."
Vanessa finally said, "Once."
Adrian looked stunned.
"He wouldn't stop screaming."
"How long?"
"Ten minutes."
Noah, standing beside Margaret, whispered, "Dark."
Adrian's jaw tightened.
Vanessa looked at him.
"He needed discipline."
"He's two."
"He manipulates you."
"He's two."
"He screams until he gets what he wants."
"He's two."
"Stop saying that."
Adrian's voice rose.
"Because you don't seem to understand it."
Vanessa went silent.
Adrian picked up Noah.
"You are not staying here tonight."
Vanessa stared.
"What?"
"I'm taking Noah to my mother's apartment."
"You cannot take my son from me."
"Our son."
"You don't get to decide."
"I absolutely get to decide where I sleep with my child."
Vanessa moved toward him.
Margaret stepped between them.
Vanessa looked at her with pure hatred.
"This is because of you."
"No," Adrian said.
"This is because of you."
Vanessa stared at him.
Something seemed to break.
Not emotionally.
Strategically.
Her eyes changed.
She became calm again.
"Fine."
Adrian hesitated.
Vanessa walked toward the living room.
"Go."
He looked almost surprised.
She poured herself water.
"Take Noah. Take Margaret. Take anyone you want."
Adrian watched her.
Vanessa smiled.
"You think you're discovering something."
She raised the glass.
"But you are only finding what someone wants you to find."
Adrian frowned.
"What does that mean?"
Vanessa drank.
Then said, "Ask your father."
Adrian's face changed.
Margaret noticed.
Adrian's father had been dead for eight years.
Before Adrian could respond, Vanessa walked away.
That night Adrian took Noah and Margaret to his mother's old apartment on Park Avenue.
The apartment had remained empty since her death.
At midnight, after Noah finally fell asleep, Adrian sat beside Margaret in the kitchen.
"Claire worked for my father."
Margaret looked at him.
Adrian continued.
"She believed he had hidden money through shell companies."
"Did he?"
"I don't know."
"Why did Vanessa tell you to ask him?"
Adrian stared into the darkness beyond the window.
"Because Vanessa knew Claire before I did."
Margaret waited.
May you like
Adrian's next words changed everything.
"Claire was Vanessa's best friend."
