Chapter 2 - The Mother's Instinct
Nora Ellis wiped down the marble kitchen counter for the third time.
Something felt wrong.
The sprawling mansion was entirely too quiet for a Tuesday evening.
She dried her hands on her apron and walked out to the service terrace.
Maisie’s yellow crayon lay abandoned on the stone tiles next to a half-eaten cracker.
Nora called her daughter's name, but only the wind answered.
Then she smelled the sharp, acrid scent of burning wood.
Panic flared in Nora’s chest as she looked past the tall boxwood hedges.
A thick column of black smoke was rising from the far end of the rose garden.
She broke into a dead sprint across the manicured lawn.
Her heart hammered against her ribs with every step.
She knew the old cedar shed was back there, filled with dangerous chemicals and gasoline.
"Maisie!" Nora screamed, her voice cracking with terror.
She rounded the corner of the garden just as the shed's roof collapsed inward in a shower of sparks.
The heat pushed her backward, forcing her to shield her face.
There was no sign of the little girl anywhere.
Nora dropped to her knees, sobbing violently as she stared at the inferno.
Suddenly, a heavy hand clamped down on her shoulder.
She gasped and looked up, expecting to see a firefighter or another maid.
Instead, it was Marcus, the mansion’s head of security.
His face was devoid of emotion, and his eyes were cold.
Before Nora could ask for help, she felt the cold steel of a pistol press against her ribs.
"Don't make a sound, Nora," Marcus whispered, clicking the safety off.
He grabbed her arm roughly and began dragging her toward the dark tree line.
"The boss is dead, and you're coming with me," he sneered.
May you like
Then, a massive shadow detached itself from the bushes directly behind Marcus.
A bloody hand reached out and wrapped around the security guard's throat.
