Chapter 2 - The Bag Under the Crib
Mateo did not enter the nursery immediately.
That surprised Camille.
She had clearly expected him either to charge inside or accuse her on the spot.
Instead, he moved Lila behind him and said quietly:
“Go downstairs with Rosa.”
The longtime housekeeper had already appeared at the top of the staircase after hearing raised voices.
Lila shook her head.
“I want you.”
Mateo crouched as much as he safely could while holding Noah.
“I’m not leaving.”
He waited until Lila looked directly at him.
“You are not in trouble.”
Her lower lip trembled.
“You believe me?”
Mateo felt the question like a physical blow.
“Yes.”
Only then did Lila allow Rosa to lead her a few yards away to the upholstered bench beside the stairs, still within sight.
Mateo looked toward Camille.
“You stay there.”
“Mateo, you don’t understand.”
“Then don’t make another move until I do.”
He asked Rosa to call Vincent, the family security supervisor, and requested another caregiver take Noah.
Not because he distrusted anyone.
Because he refused to investigate a nursery while holding a newborn.
Once Noah was safely transferred to Rosa’s adult daughter, who had cared for the baby many times before, Mateo entered the room.
Camille remained in the hallway.
The nursery looked ordinary.
White crib.
Blue-gray rocker.
Soft rug.
Changing table.
Night lamp.
No obvious danger.
Mateo knelt and looked beneath the crib.
At first he saw only shadow.
Then fabric.
A small cream-colored tote had been pushed against the wall behind one of the crib legs.
He pulled it into view.
Camille closed her eyes.
Mateo looked at her through the doorway.
“What is this?”
“Please don’t open it in front of Lila.”
That answer hardened him further.
He carried the tote into the adjoining sitting room instead.
Vincent arrived before he opened it.
Inside were ordinary nursery objects.
A pacifier.
One of Noah’s knitted socks.
A small bottle brush.
A soft fabric rattle.
A digital room thermometer.
A blue ribbon from the bassinet.
A pacifier clip.
Nothing dangerous.
Nothing illegal.
But Mateo recognized every one.
Each item had been “missing” during the past month.
And almost every disappearance had somehow been connected to Lila.
Mateo picked up the soft blue sock.
Three weeks earlier, Camille had found its matching pair inside Lila’s toy kitchen.
She had laughed awkwardly and said:
“She’s probably acting out because of the baby.”
A week later, Noah’s pacifier clip disappeared.
Camille found it beneath Lila’s pillow.
Then the fabric rattle vanished.
It turned up inside the pocket of Lila’s yellow jacket.
Each time, Lila denied touching the object.
Mateo had believed her.
At first.
Then the incidents continued.
Camille never directly called Lila jealous.
She said gentler things.
“She’s adjusting.”
“She needs reassurance.”
“Maybe she doesn’t understand that Noah’s things aren’t toys.”
Mateo had started watching his daughter differently.
He hated himself for remembering that now.
Vincent looked inside the tote.
“Why are all the missing items here?”
Mateo turned toward Camille.
Her eyes filled.
But she did not answer.
Then Rosa called from the hallway.
“Mr. Mateo.”
May you like
Lila was holding the notebook open again.
“There are more pictures.”
