“Where did she go?”
“I don’t know.
She’s unstable.”
Nathan glanced down at Sarah’s affidavit.
The final paragraph had been written in a hurried hand beneath the typed statement.
If Marcus discovers that I copied these papers, he will not let us survive the night.
He has told people I am unwell so no one will believe me.
If anything happens to us, investigate the policy.
Protect my children.
Nathan pressed the intercom button again.
“What papers are you looking for, Marcus?”
Marcus stared into the camera.
“I didn’t say anything about papers.”
“You said Sarah took something.”
“She took my children.”
“No.
You said she was confused.
Then you said Lily ran away.
Which lie do you want recorded?”
Marcus stepped closer to the gate.
His concern vanished.
“You threw Sarah away once,” he said.
“Don’t pretend you care about her now.
Send my children out, and this remains a family matter.”
Behind Nathan, Lily stirred.
Her eyes opened, unfocused at first.
Then she heard her father’s voice coming through the security speaker.
Her entire body stiffened.
“He found us,” she whispered.
Nathan crossed the foyer and knelt beside her.
“He cannot come through that gate.”
Lily gripped his wrist with surprising strength.
“Mommy is still there.”
“Tell me what happened.”
Lily fought to keep her eyes open.
“She found papers in Dad’s office.
He heard her calling somebody.
Mommy put the babies on the sled and told me to run while he was upstairs.”
“Did you see him hurt her?”
Lily swallowed.
“He grabbed her when she pushed me outside.
She locked the door after us, but I heard him breaking things.”
Nathan’s training told him to keep Lily calm.
His guilt told him to demand every detail.
He forced himself to choose the child in front of him.
“You did exactly what your mother asked.
Your brothers are alive.
Help is coming.”
Rosa appeared beside him with the emergency dispatcher still on the phone.
“The ambulance is close,” she said quietly.
“So are the deputies.”
Nathan nodded toward the security system.
“Make sure every camera is recording.”
Marcus pressed the intercom again.
“Nathan, listen carefully.
Those documents belong to me.
