Chapter 2 - “He Does It When You Leave”Celia did not sleep.
Theo eventually did, curled against her side with one hand wrapped around the sleeve of her sweater.
Every time she tried to move, his fingers tightened.
At 3:40 a.m., she stopped trying.
She stared at the ceiling and replayed the last eighteen months.
Vance telling her Theo was becoming difficult.
Vance complaining that Theo deliberately broke things.
Vance insisting the boy needed “more structure.”
The missing tablet.
The scratched dining chair.
A cracked picture frame.
A broken lamp.
Each time, Vance had a story.
Each time, Theo looked frightened and said very little.
Celia had believed Vance.
Not completely.
But enough.
That knowledge hurt.
At eight the next morning Detective Mara Quinn arrived with a child-services investigator.
Quinn was in her early forties, calm and direct.
“We want Theo interviewed in a way that doesn’t make him repeat himself unnecessarily.”
Celia nodded.
“Do whatever protects him.”
Theo’s forensic interview lasted less than an hour.
Celia was not allowed to coach him or sit beside him.
That was difficult.
But when Quinn returned, her expression told Celia the situation was larger than yesterday.
“How long has Vance been physically disciplining him?”
Celia stared.
“Yesterday was the first time.”
Quinn said nothing.
Celia’s chest tightened.
“The first time I saw.”
Theo had described at least six prior incidents.
A hard grab on the arm.
Being pushed into a wall after spilling juice.
Being locked alone in a dark pantry for several minutes.
Being forced to kneel on the living-room floor after speaking back.
No severe injury.
No hospital.
No one dramatic moment.
A pattern.
Celia covered her mouth.
“He never told me.”
Quinn’s voice was gentle.
“He says he tried twice.”
Celia’s eyes filled.
“When?”
“Once after Vance grabbed his arm. Another time after the pantry incident.”
Memory hit her.
Theo standing beside her bed months earlier.
Mom, can Vance not watch me tomorrow?
She had been half asleep.
She asked why.
Theo said Vance got mad.
Celia had answered:
Everybody gets mad sometimes, sweetheart.
Then she kissed him and went back to sleep.
She began crying.
Quinn waited.
“He told me.”
“He was seven.”
“I should have understood.”
“You can deal with that later. Right now he needs you functioning.”
Celia nodded.
“What did Vance tell him about the lawyer?”
Quinn opened her notebook.
Theo said Vance had repeatedly coached him before meetings with Rachel Sloan, the attorney who handled matters connected to Andrew Hale’s estate.
Andrew.
Theo’s biological father.
Celia’s first husband.
He had died four years earlier after an aggressive form of leukemia.
Before his death, Andrew structured his estate carefully.
Half of the mansion belonged directly to Celia.
Andrew’s half passed into a trust for Theo.
Theo also inherited financial assets worth approximately $6.4 million.
Celia could live in the mansion indefinitely with Theo.
But she could not mortgage or sell the trust’s ownership interest without approval from the independent corporate trustee.
Celia rarely thought about it.
The house was their home.
Not an investment.
Vance thought about it constantly.
“He said the house should be sold,” Celia whispered.
“When?”
“For almost a year.”
“Why?”
“He says it costs too much to maintain.”
“Does it?”
“No.”
Andrew had left sufficient insurance and financial resources.
Celia also had her own income as an interior designer.
Money was not the problem.
Not for her.
Quinn continued.
“Theo says Vance told him to tell Ms. Sloan that he hates living here.”
Celia stared.
“He loves this house.”
“I know.”
“He grew up here.”
“Theo says Vance told him the house reminds him of his father and makes him sad.”
Celia’s stomach turned.
Andrew’s death still hurt Theo.
But that was not the same as wanting to leave.
“Why would Vance want Rachel to think that?”
Quinn asked.
Celia already knew.
Any sale of the mansion had to be justified as serving Theo’s interests.
Vance had once proposed selling it for roughly $8 million and moving into a new property farther north.
The trust would receive its proportionate share.
Celia refused.
Vance sulked for weeks.
At the time, she thought it was pride.
Now she wondered what he needed from the sale.
Quinn asked:
“Does Vance have financial problems?”
“I don’t know.”
“You share accounts?”
“Some.”
“Business interests?”
“He owns a luxury renovation company.”
“How is it doing?”
“He says well.”
Quinn looked at her.
“When was the last time you independently verified that?”
Celia had no answer.
Later that morning Rachel Sloan called.
She had heard about Vance through Celia’s attorney.
“I need to tell you something,” Rachel said.
“What?”
“Vance contacted me three weeks ago.”
Celia stood.
“He what?”
“He asked what would be required to petition for a sale of the mansion.”
“Without me?”
“He said you supported it.”
“I do not.”
Rachel went silent.
Then:
“That is what I was afraid of.”
Celia’s pulse quickened.
“There’s more?”
“Yes.”
Rachel lowered her voice.
“He sent me a document bearing your signature.”
Celia’s skin went cold.
“What document?”
“A statement saying you believed the mansion was psychologically harmful to Theo.”
May you like
Celia stopped breathing.
“I never signed that.”
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