Chapter 2 - The Piano Recital
My heart stopped completely.
I stared at my daughter, praying desperately that I had misunderstood her.
Meredith knocked again, aggressively rattling the brass door handle.
"Harrison, we are going to be late for the piano recital!" she yelled.
I forced myself to stand up on shaking legs.
"We will be right out, honey!" I called back, my voice cracking slightly.
I looked down at Chloe and wiped the tears from her bruised cheeks.
"I am going to get you out of this," I promised her silently.
I helped her zip up her recital dress, hiding the horrific evidence of her trauma.
We walked out of the bedroom and met Meredith in the brightly lit hallway.
My wife looked absolutely beautiful in her floral spring dress.
She smiled warmly and kissed my cheek.
It took every ounce of my willpower not to push her down the staircase.
We drove to the community center in a suffocating, tense silence.
When we walked into the auditorium, my blood instantly turned to ice.
Richard was already sitting in the front row, saving us premium seats.
He stood up and opened his arms with a massive, grandfatherly smile.
"There is my favorite little musician!" he cheered.
Chloe flinched visibly, but she forced a fake smile and hugged him.
As Richard embraced her, I watched his hands closely.
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I saw him smoothly slip a small, black object into the hidden pocket of her dress.
It was a prepaid burner phone.
