Chapter 1 - The Fake Rescue
"If you do not open this door, I will make sure it hurts a lot more."
My husband's voice was completely flat.
It was the same tone he used when discussing the weather or paying a utility bill.
I held my breath and pressed my hand over Noah's mouth.
My little boy was trembling violently against the cold bathroom tiles.
The heavy wooden door groaned as Daniel slammed his shoulder against it.
A jagged crack appeared near the top hinge.
"Help is almost there," the 911 operator whispered in my ear.
I prayed she was telling the truth.
Daniel hit the door again, and the wood began to splinter inward.
Suddenly, a bright wash of red and blue light flashed through the frosted glass of the bathroom window.
The deafening wail of a police siren echoed through the neighborhood.
I heard the woman in the hallway gasp.
"Daniel, the cops are here!" she panicked.
"Damn it," Daniel hissed.
I heard their rapid footsteps retreating down the hallway toward the back door.
The heavy backdoor slammed shut.
I let out a ragged sob of relief and finally took a full breath.
"They ran away," I whispered into the phone.
"Stay on the line and go unlock the front door for the officers," the operator instructed.
I picked up my sick child and carried him out of the bathroom.
My legs were shaking so badly I could barely walk down the dark hallway.
I reached the front entryway and threw open the heavy oak door.
I expected to see uniformed officers rushing across my lawn with their weapons drawn.
Instead, the street was completely empty.
There were no police cruisers.
There was only a small, cheap Bluetooth speaker sitting on my porch rail, blaring a recorded siren sound.
Beside it was a tablet computer flashing a video of red and blue emergency lights.
May you like
A cold, familiar hand clamped down hard over my mouth from behind.
"You really are too easy to fool, Rachel," Daniel whispered directly into my ear.
