Chapter 2 - The Midnight Intruder
The chilling warning from the distorted voice echoed in my mind as I disconnected the call.
I could not simply rely on the hospital security guards to protect my vulnerable daughter from Julian.
I needed physical proof of the insurance policy to hand over to the state authorities.
I called an old friend who worked as a private security contractor and asked him to guard Clara's room.
Once he arrived and took his position by the door, I grabbed my keys and left the hospital.
I drove through the pouring rain toward the sprawling Thorne estate located in the wealthiest part of the city.
The house was completely dark, as Julian was supposedly at the police station filing a fabricated accident report.
I bypassed the front gate by walking through the dense woods that bordered the property.
I picked the lock on the back patio door using a simple tension wrench I always kept in my purse.
The house was silent, smelling of expensive leather and polished mahogany.
I crept up the grand staircase, relying on the ambient moonlight pouring through the tall windows.
Julian's home office was locked behind a heavy oak door, but it was no match for my skills.
I slipped inside and closed the blinds to ensure no one could see my flashlight from the street.
I began searching the mahogany desk, looking for hidden compartments or a wall safe.
I found a large metal safe cleverly concealed behind a massive oil painting of the Thorne family.
I placed my ear against the cold steel and slowly rotated the dial, listening for the subtle clicks of the tumblers.
It took me less than five minutes to crack the code and pull the heavy door open.
Inside the safe, I found the original, signed copies of the ten million dollar insurance policy.
I quickly stuffed the documents into my jacket pocket and prepared to leave the office.
Suddenly, the blinding headlights of an SUV swept across the front lawn, illuminating the driveway.
I heard the heavy front door unlock and the sound of two distinct voices echoing in the foyer.
Julian and Eleanor had returned home much earlier than I had anticipated.
Their footsteps began climbing the stairs, heading directly toward the home office.
I desperately looked around the room, realizing there was only one place to hide.
I squeezed myself into the narrow supply closet and held my breath just as the office door swung open.
Julian poured a drink from the crystal decanter and complained loudly about his failing business.
Eleanor sharply told him to stop whining and focus on their primary objective.
May you like
She handed Julian a small, unlabeled vial of clear liquid.
Eleanor instructed him to inject it into Clara's IV line, promising it would look like a sudden heart attack.
