The brass doorbell chimed through the mansion, followed immediately by three sharp raps against the glass front door.
Richard released Evelyn's wrist, stepping back to hand his son gently into Hannah's arms.
Richard: Take Leo into the study. Lock the door and don't open it for anyone except me or an officer in uniform.
Hannah: Yes, Mr. Vance. Be careful, please.
Hannah hurried down the east hallway, cradling the baby against her chest as the infant nestled into her neck.
Evelyn: You think you're clever, don't you? You think a video clip changes thirty years of family influence?
Richard: I think criminal charges don't care about your family influence.
Richard walked to the front foyer and pulled open the heavy double doors.
Standing on the porch was a tall woman in a charcoal trench coat holding an official county clipboard, flanked by two armed sheriff's deputies.
Investigator Morris: Mr. Richard Vance? I am Investigator Morris from the Department of Child and Family Services.
Richard: Good afternoon, Investigator. Please step inside.
Deputy Miller: We received an emergency dispatch regarding potential child neglect and an ongoing domestic dispute at this address.
Evelyn: Officer! Thank heaven you are here!
Evelyn rushed past Richard into the entryway, dabbing at her dry eyes with a linen handkerchief.
Evelyn: My stepson has become completely irrational. He just physically assaulted me after I confronted him about his child's injuries!
Investigator Morris looked at Evelyn's neat hair and immaculate dress, then down at her clipboard notes.
Investigator Morris: Ma'am, are you the caller who filed report number 4082 this morning?
Evelyn: Yes, I made the confidential report to protect my grandson from this hostile living environment.
Richard: She is not his grandmother. She is my father's second wife, and she just admitted on record that she filed the report.
Deputy Miller: Let's take this one person at a time. Where is the child right now?
Richard: Leo is safe in my private study with our licensed nanny. And before you examine him, I want you to view this digital file.
Richard pulled his tablet from the hall console, where Hannah's video stream had already synced via the home network.
Evelyn: Don't look at that! It’s fabricated footage generated by computer software to frame me!
Deputy Miller: Step back, ma'am. Let the investigator see the screen.
Investigator Morris adjusted her glasses, watching the clear high-definition recording of Evelyn pulling the baby from the crib and letting him fall onto the hardwood floor.
The investigator's jaw tightened, her professional composure vanishing as she watched Evelyn calmly check her watch while the infant wailed.
Investigator Morris: Deputy, look at this.
Deputy Miller leaned down, his eyes widening in shock as the video reached the end of the clip.
Deputy Miller: Mrs. Vance, did you intentionally cause this child to fall at 1:47 PM today?
Evelyn: I was adjusting his posture! He was having trouble breathing!
Richard: Trouble breathing? You left him on the floor, walked out of the room, and locked the nursery door behind you.
Investigator Morris: I need to see the infant immediately to document visible bruising and dispatch emergency medical technicians.
Richard: Right this way, Investigator. Hannah has him resting in the study.
As the caseworker walked down the hall, Deputy Miller turned toward Evelyn, resting his hand on his duty belt.
Deputy Miller: Mrs. Vance, I need you to keep your hands where I can see them and remain in this entryway.
Evelyn: Do you know who my attorney is? Harrison Sterling represents the Vance family! One phone call and you will be directing traffic in the county dump!
A second vehicle pulled up outside, its tires crunching loudly over the gravel driveway.
A distinguished older gentleman with silver hair stepped out of a black town car, carrying an embossed leather briefcase.
Evelyn: Harrison! Thank God you made it! Tell these fools who I am!
The lawyer walked through the open front doors, nodding politely to the deputy before looking directly at Evelyn.
Harrison: Good afternoon, Evelyn. I’m not here to represent you. I’m here representing the probate court.