Chapter 5: Someone Upstairs
I looked toward the staircase.
Noah was upstairs.
Alone.
I didn't think.
I ran.
"Rocco!""
Maria followed.
I took the stairs two at a time.
"Noah!""
His bedroom door was closed.
I knew I had left it slightly open.
My stomach dropped.
I pushed through.
Noah was sitting upright in bed.
A woman stood beside his window.
For half a second, nobody moved.
Then she raised both hands.
"Mr. DeLuca, please.""
I stepped between her and Noah.
"Who are you?""
She was maybe fifty, dressed in dark slacks and a gray coat.
Not someone I recognized.
"I'm not here to hurt him.""
"You have five seconds before security gets here.""
"Then listen quickly.""
Noah grabbed my shirt.
The woman looked toward him.
"I'm sorry, Noah.""
"Don't say his name.""
She immediately looked back at me.
"My name is Dr. Evelyn Harper. I worked for Morrow Family Services.""
Worked.
Past tense.
Footsteps thundered through the hallway.
My security team appeared.
I raised one hand.
"Wait.""
They stopped.
Dr. Harper swallowed.
"Marcus knows I'm talking.""
"How did you get into my house?""
"Your housekeeper let me through the service entrance after I told her it concerned Noah.""
That conversation was going to happen later.
Right now, I needed answers.
"Why did you message me?""
"I didn't.""
I stared at her.
"Then who did?""
"I don't know.""
She reached slowly toward her coat.
Security immediately moved.
"Easy," she said.
She pulled out a folded envelope.
"I came because someone left this at my office this afternoon.""
My name was written across the front.
ROCCO DELUCA.
I took it.
Inside was a photograph of Noah.
It had been taken outside his preschool.
On the back were four words.
MONDAY. NO MISTAKES THIS TIME.
My vision narrowed.
"What does that mean?""
Dr. Harper looked sick.
"I think they planned to remove Noah without your consent.""
Maria appeared in the doorway.
"What exactly is Morrow Family Services?""
Dr. Harper hesitated.
"It began as a legitimate residential assessment program. Children with complex communication needs could stay temporarily while specialists evaluated support plans.""
"And now?""
"Now the owner accepts private arrangements.""
"What kind of arrangements?""
She looked at Noah.
I understood.
"Maria, take him downstairs.""
Noah clung tighter.
"No.""
I crouched.
"Buddy, Maria's going to get you some warm milk.""
"No quiet house.""
I held his face gently.
"You're not going anywhere.""
He studied my eyes.
Then finally allowed Maria to carry him away.
When they were gone, I turned back.
"Talk.""
Dr. Harper lowered her voice.
"Parents in custody disputes. Guardianship cases. Wealthy families trying to create documentation.""
"Documentation of what?""
"Whatever they're paying for.""
My jaw tightened.
"Say it clearly.""
She did.
"Reports claiming a child requires placement away from home.""
The room felt colder.
"Victoria paid for that?""
"I saw her twice.""
"Marcus?""
"More often.""
"And Charles Bennett?""
Dr. Harper nodded.
My father's attorney.
The man who had helped create Noah's trust after his mother died.
"Why would Charles help them?""
"I don't know.""
She reached into her coat again and removed a flash drive.
"But I copied records before I resigned.""
"When?""
"Two weeks ago.""
"Why resign?""
Her eyes dropped.
"Because I found Noah's file.""
Something inside me cracked.
"What was in it?""
"A psychological assessment.""
"He's never been assessed there.""
"I know.""
She looked directly at me.
"The report was already written.""
My voice became quiet.
"What did it say?""
"That Noah suffered severe emotional distress in your home. That your work schedule made you unavailable. That his attachment to Maria was unhealthy. And that temporary residential placement was medically advisable.""
Every sentence had been manufactured.
Every weakness in my life had been turned into a weapon.
My work.
My son's disability.
His trust in Maria.
I thought of Victoria comforting me after late meetings.
Telling me I worked too hard.
Asking innocent questions about Noah's appointments.
She hadn't been learning how to become part of my family.
She'd been collecting information.
"When was the report dated?""
"Next Monday.""
I stared at her.
A document describing an examination that hadn't happened yet.
Proof.
Finally.
Real proof.
"Why come here?""
Dr. Harper's face softened.
"Because I have a son.""
That was all she needed to say.
My security chief appeared at the door.
"Mr. DeLuca.""
"What?""
"We found something downstairs.""
He handed me a small electronic device.
It looked like a black button.
"Where?""
"Under the kitchen table.""
Dr. Harper stared at it.
"That's a microphone.""
My stomach turned.
Security searched the house.
They found three more.
One in my office.
One beneath the living-room console.
And one inside Noah's playroom.
That one almost made me lose control.
Someone had been listening to my son.
Inside his own home.
Daniel arrived ten minutes later.
We gathered in my office while security swept every room.
I showed him the forged documents.
His expression darkened.
"This is serious.""
"Can they legally take Noah?""
"Not based on forged paperwork. But if someone manufactures enough evidence and catches you unprepared, they could create chaos before the truth is sorted out.""
"Then we don't let them.""
Daniel nodded.
"We preserve everything. We don't confront anyone else until we know the entire structure.""
My phone rang.
Victoria.
Everyone looked at me.
I answered.
"Rocco.""
Her voice sounded broken.
"Where are you?""
"Home.""
"Is Noah with you?""
I looked at Daniel.
He shook his head slightly.
"Why?""
Victoria started crying.
"Because Marcus lied to me.""
I said nothing.
"He told me the quiet house was temporary. He said it was just part of protecting you.""
"Protecting me from what?""
Silence.
Then she whispered something I never expected.
"From Maria.""
Maria froze.
Victoria continued.
"Rocco, Maria isn't who you think she is.""
I looked directly at the woman who had cared for my son for years.
"What are you talking about?""
"Check Noah's original medical records.""
"Why?""
May you like
Victoria's next sentence turned every head in the room.
"Because Maria's name appears in them from before you ever hired her.""
