Chapter 3 - The Setup
The terrifying phone call abruptly disconnected before James could say a single word.
He immediately grabbed his encrypted military laptop from the hidden safe in our bedroom.
"Lauren started dating a man named Greg right before I deployed," James explained, his fingers typing furiously.
"My unit was actively tracking an international smuggling ring, and Greg was one of our primary suspects."
I stared at him in absolute shock, struggling to process this horrifying new information.
"Are you saying Lauren's outburst at dinner was actually a calculated distraction?" I asked, my voice trembling.
James nodded grimly, pulling up a highly classified military dossier on his bright screen.
"They needed me away from this house so Greg's men could search for this exact laptop," he said.
Emma began to cry softly, completely unaware of the massive danger surrounding her.
I rocked her gently, praying that this terrifying nightmare would somehow end.
Suddenly, heavy, aggressive knocking echoed loudly from our reinforced front door.
James checked the security camera feed on his phone and frowned in deep confusion.
Standing on our front porch was a woman in a crisp suit, holding a leather briefcase and an official badge.
"It is Child Protective Services," James whispered, looking at the glowing screen.
I felt a sudden, sickening wave of nausea wash over my entire body.
Lauren had clearly filed a completely fraudulent abuse report to trap us inside the house.
James slowly opened the heavy door, keeping his body positioned between the stranger and his family.
"Captain Walker, we received a highly disturbing anonymous tip regarding the safety of your infant daughter," the woman stated coldly.
May you like
She pushed past him without waiting for an invitation, her sharp eyes scanning the living room.
As she turned her head, I noticed a very distinct, dark military tattoo inked perfectly on the back of her neck.
