CHAPTER 5 — The Investigation Begins
CHAPTER 5 — The Investigation Begins
The knock came again.
Louder.
"Police! Open the door!"
Victoria's face drained of color.
For a split second, her eyes darted toward the hallway.
She wasn't looking at the front door.
She was calculating an escape.
I stepped between her and the nursery entrance.
"Don't."
She forced a laugh.
"Daniel, this is ridiculous. Someone must have misunderstood."
I didn't move.
Emily gently laid the sleeping twins in their crib before wrapping a blanket around them. Her wrists were still bleeding, but her attention never strayed far from the babies.
The knocking continued.
I walked downstairs and opened the front door.
Two detectives stood beside three uniformed officers.
The older detective held up his badge.
"Mr. Daniel Cole?"
"Yes."
"I'm Detective Marcus Hale. We received an anonymous emergency call reporting unlawful confinement, child endangerment, and assault at this address."
Anonymous.
I frowned.
"I didn't call."
The detective exchanged a glance with his partner.
"We also received a package approximately thirty minutes ago."
He lifted a sealed evidence envelope.
"It contained a flash drive."
My heart skipped.
"A flash drive?"
"Along with a handwritten note."
"What note?"
The detective read aloud.
"If anything happens to me tonight, my employer will say I'm lying. Please protect the children."
Signed...
Emily Carter.
I turned toward the staircase.
Emily looked just as confused as I was.
"I never mailed anything."
Detective Hale nodded.
"We've already confirmed the package was delivered by courier."
"Someone wanted us here before you arrived home."
A chill ran down my spine.
If Emily hadn't sent it...
Who had?
The officers entered the house.
Victoria descended the staircase with perfect composure, as though hosting guests for dinner.
"What seems to be the problem, Officers?"
Her smile was flawless.
Detective Hale looked directly at her.
"Mrs. Victoria Cole?"
"Yes."
"We're investigating allegations of assault."
Victoria laughed.
"Against me?"
She turned toward me.
"Daniel, tell them how absurd this is."
I didn't answer.
Instead...
I handed Detective Hale the memory card.
"You'll want to see this."
Victoria lunged.
"No!"
An officer immediately stepped between us.
"Ma'am."
"Stand back."
She froze.
The detective inserted the memory card into a portable evidence tablet.
The first recording played.
No one spoke.
The second recording began.
One officer quietly muttered,
"My God..."
By the fifth video...
Victoria's confidence had completely disappeared.
She looked at me with tears suddenly filling her eyes.
"Daniel..."
"I'm sick."
"I need help."
"I wasn't myself."
I stared at her.
"For seven months?"
She lowered her head.
"I can change."
Emily quietly whispered,
"My son couldn't wait seven months."
The room fell silent.
Detective Hale closed the tablet.
"Mrs. Cole..."
"I'm placing you under arrest for aggravated assault, unlawful restraint, criminal intimidation, and multiple counts of child endangerment."
An officer stepped forward with handcuffs.
Victoria backed away.
"No."
"This is a misunderstanding."
The officer reached for her wrist.
She screamed.
Then...
She shoved him with surprising force.
The detective shouted,
"Stop!"
May you like
Instead...
Victoria spun around and ran.
