CHAPTER 6 — The Woman in the Driveway
CHAPTER 6 — The Woman in the Driveway
Andrew flew up the staircase three steps at a time.
"Emma!"
No answer.
Only Noah crying.
His heart pounded against his ribs.
The bedroom door stood open.
Splintered.
The lock hung broken from the frame.
Andrew rushed inside.
Emma was on the floor beside the bassinet.
Holding Noah tightly against her chest.
Breathing hard.
Across the carpet lay shattered glass.
The bedroom window had been broken from the outside.
Cold rain blew into the room.
Andrew knelt beside her.
"Are you hurt?"
Emma nodded weakly.
"My shoulder..."
Then she whispered something that made him spin toward the hallway.
"She wasn't alone."
Andrew stared.
"What?"
"I heard your mother talking to someone outside."
Andrew's pulse quickened.
Someone else had been here.
Headlights swept across the bedroom wall.
A car.
Leaving the property.
Andrew sprinted to the window.
A black SUV disappeared through the front gates.
No license plate visible.
Only darkness.
He turned back.
"Stay here."
Emma grabbed his sleeve.
"No!"
Her voice cracked.
"Don't leave us."
Andrew looked at her.
Really looked.
Three months ago she would have smiled confidently and handled any crisis herself.
Now she was terrified that if he left the room for thirty seconds, she'd lose her child.
The realization broke his heart.
"I'm not leaving."
He pulled his phone from his pocket.
"Police."
Fifteen minutes later, flashing red and blue lights filled the circular driveway.
Two officers entered the house.
They separated everyone for questioning.
Margaret sat elegantly in the living room, sipping tea as though nothing unusual had happened.
Officer Daniels frowned.
"Mrs. Collins says your wife suffered a psychological episode."
Andrew almost laughed.
"Did she also mention the hidden camera?"
Margaret's expression flickered.
Andrew opened the security app.
He handed over the phone.
The officers watched silently.
Emma being shoved.
Noah taken away.
Threats.
Intimidation.
The nursery footage ended.
Officer Daniels looked up slowly.
"Mrs. Collins..."
His tone changed completely.
"...would you mind explaining this?"
For the first time all night—
Margaret had no prepared answer.
Then the front doorbell rang.
Everyone turned.
One officer opened the door.
Outside stood an elderly woman in a rain-soaked navy coat.
Silver hair.
Sharp blue eyes.
She looked directly at Andrew.
"I came as soon as I got your father's message."
Andrew frowned.
"My father's... what?"
She held up an old envelope.
"My name is Evelyn Brooks."
Andrew's breath caught.
The woman from the photograph.
The one his father had written to trust.
Evelyn stepped into the foyer, her gaze settling briefly on Margaret.
Neither woman spoke.
But the hatred between them was unmistakable.
Finally Evelyn said quietly,
"I think it's time Andrew learned how his father really died."
The room fell into absolute silence.
Margaret's teacup slipped from her fingers.
It shattered across the hardwood floor.
May you like
And for the first time in decades...
Margaret Collins looked genuinely afraid.
