Mark raised his eyes slowly toward the upper balcony floor.
His eight-year-old son Leo stood silently by the wooden railing.
Leo's small hands gripped the smooth dark wood tightly.
His little face was pale and his eyes were wide with shock.
Mark: Leo? Buddy, stay upstairs, do not look down here.
Leo pointed his small right finger directly down at Sarah.
Leo: Dad! She is lying to you!
Sarah froze completely as her face lost all of its remaining color.
Sarah: Leo, honey, go back to your playroom right now.
Leo: No! I saw everything from my bedroom door!
Mark stood up slowly from the marble floor near his mother.
He took two steps toward the base of the grand staircase.
Mark: What did you see, Leo? Tell me the truth.
Leo: Grandma was walking to the office with her folder.
Leo: Mom ran up behind her and tried to yank it away!
Sarah jumped up from the floor with a furious expression.
Sarah: Mark, he is just a scared child, he didn't see anything clearly!
Leo: Yes I did! Mom grabbed Grandma's arm and pulled real hard!
Leo: Grandma told her no, and then Mom pulled the papers and Grandma fell!
Mark turned sharply toward his wife with explosive anger in his chest.
His jaw clenched tight as he stared into Sarah's eyes.
Mark: Is this why you have papers stuffed in your blouse?!
Sarah: Mark, listen to me, the boy is confused by the drama!
Mark: Pull those papers out of your pocket right now, Sarah!
Sarah took a slow step backward toward the front entry door.
Sarah: You are taking the word of an eight-year-old over your wife?!
Mark: Leo never lies to me! You do!
Mark stepped forward and reached out to grab the paper edges.
He pulled the folded documents right out of Sarah's shirt pocket.
The official seal of the family estate lawyer sat right on top.
Mark: These were in my mother's safe keeping this morning!
Sarah: I was just holding them safe so they wouldn't get dirty!
Mark: You tried to steal the trust fund while my mother lay hurt!