Chapter 7 - THE FRAME
Nobody spoke.
Victoria’s eyes moved from Ethan to Sarah.
Then she started laughing.
A strange, breathless laugh.
“This is unbelievable.”
Ethan looked sick.
“Why is there a sedative in my son’s blood?”
“I don’t know.”
“And why is there an unlabeled bottle in your purse?”
“I don’t know!”
Sarah held Leo tighter.
Victoria pointed at her.
“Ask her.”
Ethan closed his eyes.
“Stop blaming Sarah.”
“Why? Because she acts innocent?”
“She found the bottle.”
“Exactly!”
Victoria stepped toward Ethan.
“She has access to everything. Leo’s room. The kitchen. My bedroom.”
“I don’t go into your bedroom unless I’m cleaning it.”
Victoria ignored Sarah.
“She wants me gone.”
Ethan stared at her.
Victoria continued quickly.
“Think about it. She loves playing mother to Leo. I marry you, and she loses control.”
Sarah’s face burned.
“That’s sick.”
“Is it?”
“Yes.”
Victoria turned to Ethan.
“Search her room.”
Sarah went still.
Employees had two small rooms in the service wing.
Sarah rarely used hers except during overnight shifts.
“Go ahead,” she said.
Victoria smiled.
Ethan noticed the smile.
So did Sarah.
Her stomach dropped.
“No,” Sarah said suddenly.
Victoria laughed.
“Changed your mind?”
“No. I just realized you want him to.”
Ethan frowned.
“Sarah?”
“She planted something.”
Victoria gasped theatrically.
“You see? She’s already making excuses.”
Ethan rubbed his forehead.
“I need facts.”
“Then search it,” Sarah said. “But don’t let Victoria out of your sight.”
They walked together to the service wing.
Sarah unlocked her room.
Everything looked normal.
Bed.
Small dresser.
Books.
Uniform.
Ethan opened the wardrobe.
Nothing.
He checked the dresser.
Nothing.
Victoria crossed her arms.
“Under the mattress.”
Sarah stared at her.
Ethan looked sharply at Victoria.
“How would you know to look there?”
“I don’t. It’s obvious.”
Sarah moved to the bed.
She lifted the mattress.
A diamond bracelet slid onto the floor.
Ethan stopped breathing.
Victoria screamed.
“My bracelet!”
Sarah closed her eyes.
Of course.
Victoria grabbed it.
“I knew it!”
“I have never seen that before.”
“You stole it.”
“No.”
“That bracelet disappeared last month.”
Ethan looked at Sarah.
She saw the doubt again.
It crushed her.
“Ethan.”
He said nothing.
Victoria dug deeper beneath the mattress.
Her hand came out holding a pharmacy bottle.
Sarah’s knees nearly gave way.
Victoria read the label.
“Prescription sleep medication.”
Ethan took it.
The prescription name had been scratched away.
Victoria whispered, “Oh my God.”
Sarah looked at Ethan.
“She put it there.”
Victoria shouted, “You drugged Leo!”
“No!”
“You drugged him so you could blame me!”
“Stop!” Ethan yelled.
Leo began crying.
Sarah bounced him gently.
“It’s okay.”
Victoria pointed.
“Look at her! She won’t even give him to his father.”
Sarah immediately handed Leo to Ethan.
“Take him.”
Ethan took his son.
Sarah stepped back.
Her eyes filled with tears, but she refused to let them fall.
“I didn’t do this.”
Ethan looked at the pills.
“I don’t know what to believe.”
“You know how I treat Leo.”
“I know.”
“You know I would never hurt him.”
“I thought I knew Victoria too.”
That silenced her.
Sarah nodded slowly.
“That’s fair.”
Victoria whispered, “Fire her.”
Ethan looked at her.
“What?”
“She can’t stay here.”
Sarah held her breath.
Victoria pressed.
“Ethan, medication was found under her mattress.”
“Along with your missing bracelet,” Sarah said. “Almost like somebody wanted to make sure he found more than one reason to blame me.”
Victoria’s eyes burned.
Ethan looked down at Leo.
Then at Sarah.
“I need you to leave tonight.”
Sarah felt something break inside her.
“Ethan—”
“Until I understand what’s happening.”
Victoria smiled.
Only for half a second.
Sarah saw it.
“So that’s it?”
“It’s temporary.”
“If I walk out that door, she’ll be alone with him.”
“I’ll be here.”
“You work fourteen hours a day.”
“I’m canceling everything tomorrow.”
Sarah looked at Leo.
He reached toward her.
She almost lost control.
Instead, she picked up her coat.
Victoria moved close as Sarah passed.
“Some people never learn.”
Sarah stopped.
Ethan couldn’t hear.
Victoria whispered into her ear.
“You should’ve taken the warning.”
Sarah looked at her.
“The text was you.”
Victoria smiled.
“Prove it.”
Sarah walked toward the front door.
Then she heard Leo start coughing again.
She turned.
May you like
Victoria was holding his bottle.
And Ethan was looking the other way.
