Chapter 2: What Happened Before Ryan Came Home
Oliver was sleeping when Maya finally told Ryan everything.
They sat beside his hospital bed beneath the dim glow of a monitor.
His breathing was steady now.
Each soft rise of his chest felt like a miracle.
Maya kept her voice low.
“Your mother came over shortly after you left for the airport.”
Ryan had been scheduled to attend a business conference in Chicago.
The flight was canceled because of the storm, but Evelyn had not known that.
“She said she wanted to help because Oliver was sick,” Maya continued. “At first, she acted kind. She made tea. She asked about his medication.”
Then Evelyn began asking questions.
Had Maya ever felt overwhelmed?
Had she ever considered leaving Ryan?
Did she sometimes lose her temper when Oliver cried?
Maya had tried to end the conversation.
That was when Evelyn placed a folder on the changing table.
Inside were custody forms and a statement declaring Maya emotionally unstable.
“She told me to sign temporary guardianship over to her,” Maya said. “She said it would only be until I received treatment.”
Ryan stared at her.
“Treatment for what?”
“She never said. She just kept telling me I was confused.”
When Maya refused, Evelyn took Oliver’s inhaler from the emergency case.
She slipped it into her purse.
Oliver was already feverish.
Soon, his breathing became strained.
Maya tried to take the inhaler back.
Evelyn shoved her.
Maya struck the edge of the dresser and fell.
The lamp shattered.
Medicine bottles rolled across the floor.
As Maya tried to stand, Evelyn struck her across the face.
Then she calmly began arranging the room.
“She made it look like I had destroyed everything,” Maya said.
Ryan felt cold despite the warm hospital room.
“She knew there was a camera.”
“I didn’t know about it.”
“Neither did I.”
Maya looked toward their sleeping son.
“She said the camera would show whatever she needed it to show.”
Ryan remembered the tiny black lens the officer had discovered in the closet.
It had been positioned to capture the crib, the changing table, and most of the room.
If Evelyn had planted it, she may have recorded herself.
Unless the footage had been altered.
Ryan pulled out his phone.
There were seventeen missed calls.
Nine were from his mother.
Five were from the Whitmore family attorney, Daniel Cross.
The remaining three were from members of the company’s board.
Before Ryan could call the detective, a message appeared from Daniel.
Do not speak to the police until we control the situation. Your mother says Maya has become dangerous.
Ryan read it twice.
Then he showed it to Maya.
“She called him before the police even finished searching the house,” Ryan said.
Maya’s face went pale.
Ryan typed a response.
My wife is not dangerous. Stay away from my family.
The reply came almost immediately.
You don’t know what is at stake.
Ryan looked at Oliver.
May you like
Then he looked at Maya.
Whatever was at stake, his mother and Daniel were terrified of losing it.
