Chapter 7 - THE WARRANT
Smoke filled the nursery in seconds.
Victor covered Ethan with his body.
Lily dropped beside the crib and pulled the blanket over the baby’s face.
Dominic kicked the black device toward the adjoining bathroom and shut the door.
“It is a smoke canister.”
“No explosive.”
Victor lifted Ethan.
“Move.”
They exited through the private medical corridor.
Two guards led them toward the safe room.
The mansion alarm began sounding.
Through the windows, blue lights flashed beyond the front gates.
Police vehicles lined the drive.
More were arriving.
Detective Marcus Mercer stood near the entrance wearing a dark overcoat and an expression of official concern.
He held a warrant.
Serena was nowhere in sight.
Victor entered the security room.
“Show me her suite.”
A camera feed displayed an empty bed.
The guards assigned to the door were unconscious in the corridor.
“They were drugged,” Dominic said.
“The east service window is open.”
“Vehicle?”
“None recorded.”
Victor looked toward the police convoy.
“She left under their protection.”
Dominic nodded.
“Mercer may have taken her before presenting the warrant.”
Lily held Ethan close while Dr. Halpern checked his breathing.
The baby was coughing but alert.
Victor looked at the third audio file on Amelia’s recorder.
If I am dead.
Miriam had warned that playing it would send a signal.
The signal might reveal them.
It might also reveal the final enemy.
But with Mercer at the gate and Serena gone, Victor could not risk triggering another attack near Ethan.
He locked the recorder inside a signal-blocking case.
“What does the warrant say?” Dominic asked.
A guard enlarged the document captured by the gate camera.
Victor read the charges.
Kidnapping.
Unlawful confinement.
Aggravated assault.
Tampering with evidence.
All based on Serena’s sworn statement.
She claimed Victor had returned home in a violent rage.
She claimed he attacked her, imprisoned her, and threatened to kill her after she tried to protect Ethan from Lily.
She accused Lily of causing the baby’s injury.
The story was precise.
Detailed.
Supported by photographs of bruises on Serena’s arms.
Bruises Victor had not caused.
“She prepared this,” Lily said.
Victor nodded.
“Before today.”
Dominic pointed toward the warrant.
“Mercer also alleges we destroyed the foyer recording.”
“They are turning the erased cameras against us.”
Victor looked at the live feed.
Mercer approached the front door with six officers.
“We cannot fight the police.”
Dominic’s expression hardened.
“Some of those men are his.”
“Some are not.”
Victor looked toward Lily.
“If I refuse the warrant, every news station will show armed men protecting an accused abuser.”
“Serena wants the city looking at me instead of Ethan.”
Dr. Halpern spoke.
“I can document Ethan’s injuries and toxicology.”
“Will it prove Serena caused them?” Victor asked.
“No.”
“Not by itself.”
Victor turned to Lily.
“Your testimony matters.”
She met his eyes.
“I will testify.”
“If you do, they will destroy your life.”
“They already tried.”
“They will examine every mistake you ever made.”
“They will accuse you of wanting money.”
“Attention.”
“Me.”
Lily glanced at Ethan.
“I’m not doing it for you.”
Victor nodded.
“I know.”
He contacted his attorney, Mara Levin.
She arrived through the rear entrance before Mercer entered the house.
Mara was a former federal prosecutor with silver-streaked dark hair and a reputation for never raising her voice.
She reviewed the warrant.
“It is legally valid.”
“The judge signed it forty minutes ago.”
“Which judge?” Victor asked.
“Halvorsen.”
Dominic cursed.
Judge Peter Halvorsen had attended three Montigue Foundation events during the last year.
Mara continued.
“They can search the house.”
“They can seize devices.”
“They can take you for questioning.”
“What about Lily?”
“She is named as a person of interest.”
Lily looked down at Ethan.
Mara noticed.
“Do not answer questions without me.”
“Do not sign anything.”
“Do not allow them to separate you from counsel.”
Victor looked toward the front entrance.
“I will go with them.”
Dominic objected.
“Victor.”
“If I resist, Serena wins.”
“You may not come back.”
“Then you protect Ethan.”
Victor placed his hand against the child’s back.
Ethan looked at him with heavy eyes.
Victor leaned close.
“I will come back.”
The baby touched his father’s jaw.
Lily saw the fear Victor refused to show.
The front doors opened.
Mercer entered with officers and a camera team from the department.
He wanted a public arrest.
He wanted images.
Mara met him in the foyer.
“My client will cooperate.”
Mercer smiled.
“I expected him to.”
Victor walked forward.
Mercer glanced toward Lily.
“Miss Hart.”
“You will accompany us.”
Mara stepped between them.
“On what charge?”
“Obstruction.”
“You do not have an arrest warrant for her.”
“I have authority to detain witnesses during a search.”
“She is injured and caring for a child.”
Mercer looked at Ethan’s immobilized arm.
His expression did not change.
“That child needs state protection.”
Victor moved before anyone could stop him.
He crossed the distance between them and stood inches from Mercer.
“You will not touch my son.”
Officers raised their hands toward their weapons.
Mara’s voice cut through the room.
“Everyone remains calm.”
Mercer smiled faintly.
“There he is.”
“The man Serena described.”
Victor understood the trap.
Mercer wanted anger.
A raised voice.
A threat.
Anything that would support Serena’s story.
Victor stepped back.
“My son remains with his physician.”
“Child services is on the way.”
“Then they can speak to Dr. Halpern.”
Mercer looked toward the doctor.
“You are employed by Mr. Blackwood.”
“I am a licensed physician.”
“And I am reporting suspected harm to a child.”
Mercer’s smile disappeared.
Dr. Halpern handed him a copy of the toxicology report.
“Repeated exposure to an unprescribed sedative.”
“Multiple bruises in various stages of healing.”
“A dislocated shoulder consistent with forceful traction.”
Mercer read the first page.
“This proves nothing about Miss Montigue.”
“No.”
“It proves someone harmed Ethan.”
Lily stepped forward.
“I saw Serena do it.”
Mercer looked at her.
“Did you?”
“Yes.”
“She dragged him by the wrist.”
“She kicked me when I tried to stop her.”
Mercer looked toward the bruising visible beneath Lily’s torn blouse.
“Or you were injured when Miss Montigue defended herself.”
Mara intervened.
“My client will provide a formal statement with counsel.”
Mercer’s eyes remained on Lily.
“You should consider who you are protecting.”
Lily’s voice remained steady.
“A baby.”
The answer silenced even several officers.
Mercer looked away first.
The search lasted four hours.
Officers seized computers, medicine bottles, security servers, and Serena’s evidence folder.
Mercer appeared especially interested in Amelia’s recorder.
Victor had hidden the real device inside the safe room.
A duplicate remained in the evidence box.
Mercer took it.
Mara noticed.
“He knows what he is looking for.”
Victor nodded.
“He has always known.”
During the search, child services arrived.
The assigned investigator, Dana Brooks, examined Ethan’s records and interviewed Dr. Halpern.
She also interviewed Lily.
Unlike Mercer, Dana listened.
She asked specific questions.
Dates.
Times.
Patterns.
Lily gave her the six-month log.
Dana read several entries.
“You documented this thoroughly.”
“I was afraid no one would believe me.”
“Why?”
“Because Serena told me no one would.”
Dana looked toward the police filling the mansion.
“She was almost right.”
The investigator allowed Ethan to remain in the house temporarily under medical supervision.
However, she imposed conditions.
Victor could not be alone with the child while under investigation.
Serena could not have contact.
Lily could provide care only under observation.
A custody hearing would be scheduled within forty-eight hours.
Serena’s attorneys had already filed for emergency guardianship.
“She cannot possibly receive custody,” Lily said.
Dana looked uncomfortable.
“She is his father’s fiancée and named in an unsigned trust amendment.”
“The petition claims she has acted as his primary maternal figure.”
Lily stared at her.
“She hurt him.”
“Then prove it at the hearing.”
Victor heard the exchange.
He understood Serena’s plan completely.
She did not need to win forever.
She needed temporary control.
Enough time to move Ethan.
Enough time to destroy evidence.
Enough time for Adrian to complete whatever came next.
Mercer eventually approached Victor with handcuffs.
Mara objected to the public display.
Mercer ignored her.
Victor extended his hands.
Before the cuffs closed, Lily spoke.
“Detective.”
Mercer turned.
She held up Serena’s pearl earring.
“I found this under the nursery crib.”
Mercer looked at it.
“So?”
“Serena told you she had not entered the nursery before Victor arrived.”
“How do you know what she told me?”
“Her sworn statement is attached to the warrant.”
Mara almost smiled.
Lily continued.
“The earring proves she was there earlier.”
Mercer’s face remained blank.
“It proves an earring was there.”
“Then test it.”
“For skin cells.”
“For the sedative.”
“For Ethan’s blood.”
The officers watched him.
Mercer could not refuse without revealing bias.
“Bag it,” he ordered.
An evidence technician approached.
As she sealed the earring, Lily noticed something near Mercer’s cuff.
A raven tattoo.
Small.
Dark.
Partially hidden beneath his sleeve.
The same symbol Marisol had described.
Lily looked at Dominic.
He saw it too.
Mercer followed her gaze and pulled down his cuff.
Victor was led toward the door.
Reporters had gathered beyond the gates.
Camera flashes began as soon as he stepped outside.
Serena stood across the drive beside her attorney.
She wore a pale blue coat and dark glasses.
Faint bruises marked her cheek.
She had created them after leaving the mansion.
When she saw Victor, she lowered her glasses.
Her eyes moved toward the upstairs nursery window.
Then she smiled.
Victor was placed inside a police vehicle.
Lily watched from the doorway.
Her phone vibrated.
A message appeared from Serena.
YOU HAVE TWENTY-FOUR HOURS BEFORE ETHAN BELONGS TO ME.
Then another message arrived.
CHECK YOUR POCKET.
Lily reached into her skirt pocket.
Her fingers closed around a small glass vial.
The vial contained the same sedative found in Ethan’s blood.
Mercer turned back toward the mansion.
May you like
“Lily Hart.”
“You are under arrest for poisoning Ethan Blackwood.”
