Chapter 4

Several agitated neighbors crowded in and began shoving my parents.

"Hand the kid over right now! Otherwise, none of you are leaving this hallway!"

"If you couldn't have kids of your own, don't steal someone else's! Have you no shame?"

"Deadbeat dad won't pay child support and kidnaps the kid instead? Disgusting!"

Seeing my parents being pushed around, rage flared inside me.

I moved to shove away the woman who was grabbing my mom, but two other neighbors gripped my arms, pinning me in place.

Furious and anxious, I was just about to pull out my evidence when Whitney's face suddenly shifted into a sly grin.

"Sean, I don't want to push things to extremes."

Greed flashed in her eyes.

"Give me my son back and pay me five thousand dollars. That covers this month's child support and the distress you've caused both of us. Do that and I'll let it go."

Hearing that, the surrounding neighbors actually chimed in to support her.

"Look how reasonable she's being. They hid her kid and she's still willing to settle this out of court."

"Exactly. Just pay the money and give the boy back. If the cops get involved, your whole family is going to prison!"

I looked at Whitney's smug, predatory sneer, feeling utterly sickened.

"I'll say this one last time: my family only returned today. We have never seen your son."

"I am not Leo's father. I filed a police report the day you left, and I'll take a paternity test if I have to."

"As for your five thousand dollars, you won't see a single dime."

Whitney's expression darkened menacingly.

"So much for doing this the easy way. You really think I can't touch you?"

Right then, sirens wailed outside, and a patrol car pulled up downstairs.

Two police officers hurried through the crowd, their expressions stern.

"Who called 911 about the missing boy?"

Whitney immediately rushed forward.

"I did, Officer! It's this man! He hid my five-year-old son and refuses to give him back!"

Several neighbors who had been shoving us jumped in as well.

"Officers, we all saw it! Her doorbell camera caught it plain as day—the kid went straight into his place!"

The lead officer looked our family up and down, his brow furrowing.

"Let's start with what the camera actually shows. When did you last see Leo, ma'am?"

My wife, Sarah, panicked and tried to explain, but I grabbed her hand to calm her down.

Meeting the officer's stern gaze, a cold smile crept onto my lips.

"Officers, you're more than welcome to investigate. But I have some evidence of my own."

"Why don't we all take a look?"

I pulled my phone from my pocket and tapped play on a video.

When the screen lit up, everyone's eyes widened.

"What? How is that possible?!"