Chapter 2 - The Arrival
The flashing blue and red lights of the emergency vehicles arrived first, painting the towering glass windows of the mansion in rhythmic, accusing colors. The screaming sirens cut through the quiet, wealthy suburb like a blade.
David had tried to lock the front door, but Arthur Vance had not come alone.
By the time the police stepped onto the porch, Arthur’s personal security team—men who looked like they belonged in a government agency—had already bypassed the electronic gates. The heavy oak front door was opened not by David, but by a shivering Emma, who had slipped down the stairs while her father and grandmother were frantically arguing in the kitchen.
"Grandpa!" Emma cried, throwing herself into Arthur’s arms as he stepped into the foyer.
Arthur, a tall man with silver hair and eyes like flint, caught her, lifting her easily. He pressed her head against his shoulder, shielding her eyes from the living room. "I've got you, my sweet girl. You did perfectly. You are so brave."
He handed Emma to one of his trusted aides. "Take her to my car. Keep her warm."
Arthur strode into the kitchen, followed by two uniformed police officers and three paramedics.
David stood near the island, his hands in his pockets in a desperate attempt to look casual, though the sweat on his forehead gave him away. Margaret sat at the kitchen table, her posture rigid, her pearls catching the light.
"Arthur, thank goodness," Margaret said, rising with a practiced, tragic sigh. "Sarah had a terrible fall. We were just about to call an ambulance, but she was so hysterical, we were trying to calm her down first—"
"Step back," Arthur said. He didn't even look at Margaret. He walked straight to the floor where Sarah lay.
The paramedics immediately knelt beside her. Sarah gasped as they gently touched her leg, her knuckles turning white as she gripped her father’s hand. Arthur squeezed back, his face tight with pain for his daughter, but his eyes remained deadly focused.
"She was pushed, Officer," Sarah said clearly, looking at the lead policeman. "My husband, David, grabbed my blouse and threw me against the island. My mother-in-law, Margaret, watched and did nothing."
May you like
"That's a lie!" David shouted, stepping forward. "She's unstable! She's been having manic episodes for months, her doctor can testify—"
"The only thing testifying tonight is the security camera in the hallway, David," Arthur said, slowly standing up to face his son-in-law. "And the bank records. Officer, I want this man arrested for domestic assault. And I want a protective order filed immediately."
