Chapter 1 - The Locked Door
"Judge Thorne," I said quietly into the receiver of my phone.
"This is Assistant Attorney General Elena Vance."
"I need an emergency protective order tonight."
The line was completely silent for a heavy, agonizing moment.
"Elena, it is past nine o'clock," the judge finally replied in a gruff voice.
"My mother is being held hostage and physically abused by my brother," I whispered fiercely.
"I have photographic evidence and a recorded sworn statement that prove she is in immediate danger."
Before the judge could respond, the brass doorknob of the bathroom began to rattle violently.
I immediately muted the microphone on my phone and held my breath.
"Elena, open this door right now," Julian demanded from the hallway.
His voice was completely stripped of the friendly, polished tone he had used earlier downstairs.
"Just a minute, Mom dropped her soap," I called out, trying to keep my voice perfectly steady.
My mother gripped my arm tightly, her eyes wide with absolute terror.
I quickly grabbed a dry towel and draped it over her bruised, fragile shoulders.
Suddenly, I heard the distinct metallic click of a coin turning the emergency lock on the outside of the knob.
Julian had not waited for me to voluntarily open the door.
The wooden door swung open forcefully, hitting the bathroom wall with a loud, aggressive bang.
Julian stood in the doorway, staring directly at the glowing screen of my phone.
"Who are you calling?" he asked, stepping slowly into the small room.
May you like
His cold eyes darted from my phone to the wet towel wrapped around our trembling mother.
He reached into his back pocket and pulled out a heavy steel wrench.
