David stepped out of his black luxury sedan and looked up at the massive mansion.
The sun was high in the bright afternoon sky over the green lawn.
He carried a heavy leather briefcase filled with long legal trust documents.
His heart beat fast because he knew something felt wrong inside his home.
The big double doors swung open with a soft metallic click.
Silence filled the high main hall as David walked into the room.
He called out for his young son with a shaky voice.
David: Leo, where are you hiding today?
No answer came from the wide marble living room or the kitchen.
He walked toward the center of the grand foyer with slow steps.
A blue knitted blanket lay near the bottom of the long stairs.
David felt his chest tighten as he ran across the polished floor.
He dropped his dark briefcase right onto the shiny white marble.
David: Who left this blanket lying here on the floor?
He knelt down on both knees and picked up the soft cloth.
The fabric smelled of fresh baby powder and sweet lemon soap.
He held it close to his chest while looking up the staircase.
A shadow moved quickly along the top balcony of the second floor.
David stood up quickly and took a deep breath of cold air.
David: Victoria, is that you standing up there right now?
The figure stepped forward into the bright light of the top floor.
Victoria wore a long maroon dress that reached all the way down.
She held her hands together in front of her dark velvet gown.
Her face looked pale, but her eyes were cold and full of pride.
Victoria: You returned home much earlier than expected today, David.
David: Where is my baby boy right now, Victoria?
Victoria: He is upstairs resting safely inside his quiet nursery room.
David took two steps up the grand marble staircase with urgency.
He did not trust the calm tone in his new wife's voice.
They had been married for only six months after a quick romance.
Victoria had always wanted full control of the vast family estate.
David loved his late wife's child more than anything in the world.
He knew Victoria saw the little boy as a massive financial problem.
He looked straight into her dark eyes with growing suspicion and fear.
David: Why is his special blanket lying on the cold floor down here?
Victoria looked down at her polished nails without showing any emotion at all.
Victoria: The nanny must have dropped it while carrying laundry earlier today.
David knew the family nanny had taken the entire afternoon completely off.
His heart raced as he reached the middle landing of the stairs.