Chapter 2 - The Custody Trap
My heart hammered against my ribs like a trapped bird trying to escape its cage.
I tried to explain to the officers that Julian was a violent abuser who had assaulted Clara just hours ago.
The lead officer sighed, stating that there was no police report on file from last night.
Because Clara had been too terrified to press charges, Julian's record was completely clean.
To the eyes of the law, he was a loving father whose wife had suffered a manic episode and fled with their child.
I begged them to just look at Clara's bruised face, but the officers insisted that custody disputes belonged in family court, not on my front porch.
If I did not surrender Lily immediately, I would be arrested for felony kidnapping.
Clara walked into the foyer, looking like a ghost haunting her own life.
She knew we had absolutely no legal ground to stand on right now.
Tears streamed down her swollen face as she slowly climbed the stairs to wake her sleeping daughter.
Ten minutes later, I had to watch the most excruciating scene of my entire life.
Lily clung to my leg, screaming and sobbing as Julian gently but firmly pried her fingers away.
He smiled warmly for the police officers, assuring them that his little girl was just confused.
As soon as the officers turned their backs to walk to their cruisers, Julian's smile vanished.
He looked directly at Clara and mouthed the words that he owned her.
The police cruisers pulled away into the morning fog, taking my granddaughter straight back into hell.
Clara collapsed onto the floor of the foyer, wailing in a pitch of pure, primal agony.
I knelt beside her, wrapping my arms around her shaking body, promising her that I would kill him before I let him keep Lily.
I carried Lily's abandoned overnight bag into the living room to unpack it.
As I pulled out her favorite stuffed bear, a small, unfamiliar electronic chime echoed from the bottom of the canvas tote.
I reached deep into the lining and pulled out a cheap, plastic burner phone that did not belong to my granddaughter.
The screen illuminated with a single unread text message.
I clicked it open, my blood turning to absolute ice.
May you like
The message was from Julian.
It read that she had exactly twenty-four hours to come home and drop the divorce idea, or he would make sure Lily disappeared forever.
