Chapter 2 - The Mansion Behind the Perfect Photographs
Richard’s truck turned through the iron gates of the Caldwell estate nineteen minutes later.
The mansion looked peaceful.
That frightened him more.
White columns rose above manicured hedges. Easter lilies decorated the front steps. Luxury cars lined the circular driveway. Through the tall windows, sunlight poured into rooms designed to look beautiful in photographs.
Nothing outside suggested that a terrified woman had screamed through a telephone less than twenty minutes earlier.
Richard parked crookedly.
He was out before the engine stopped shaking.
The front door was unlocked.
“Emily!”
No answer.
Richard entered.
The foyer was silent.
Then he saw Margaret Caldwell standing at the far end of the hallway.
Ethan’s mother wore a lavender Easter dress. Her face was pale.
“Richard?”
“Where’s Emily?”
Margaret opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
Richard followed her gaze toward the living room.
And then he saw his daughter.
Emily lay on her side across the Persian rug.
An overturned Easter basket rested near her feet. Plastic eggs and wrapped candy were scattered across the carpet.
For one impossible second, Richard’s mind refused to understand what he was seeing.
Then he ran.
“Emily!”
He dropped beside her.
There were bruises along her upper arm and shoulder. Her blonde hair covered part of her face.
Richard checked her breathing.
Then her pulse.
There.
Weak, but there.
“Sweetheart?”
Emily’s eyelids moved.
Richard leaned closer.
“Emily, it’s Dad.”
Her eyes opened.
Confusion lasted only a second.
Then recognition appeared.
“Dad...”
Richard nearly broke.
Instead, he took her hand.
“I’m here.”
Her fingers closed weakly around his.
Then Richard sensed movement behind him.
He looked up.
Ethan stood beside the fireplace.
Dark green shirt.
Tan trousers.
Perfect hair.
Perfect house.
Perfect public image.
Except now his face carried something Richard had never seen before.
Fear.
“Richard,” Ethan said. “You need to calm down.”
Richard slowly stood.
He placed himself between Ethan and Emily.
“What happened?”
“She fell.”
Behind him, Emily made a tiny sound.
Richard looked over his shoulder.
She shook her head.
Barely.
But enough.
Ethan noticed.
His expression changed.
“Emily is confused.”
Richard turned back.
“Stay where you are.”
“You come into my house—”
“Stay where you are.”
Richard never raised his voice.
That seemed to unsettle Ethan more.
Margaret stepped forward.
“Ethan...”
“Mother, stay out of this.”
Margaret recoiled.
Richard noticed.
That reaction told him something.
Maybe Emily had not been the only person afraid of Ethan.
Sirens became audible in the distance.
Ethan heard them.
“You called the police?”
Richard said nothing.
Ethan moved toward Emily.
Richard blocked him.
“Don’t come any closer.”
“I’m her husband.”
“And she asked me to come get her.”
The sirens grew louder.
Ethan’s face hardened.
Then Emily whispered behind Richard.
“Dad.”
Richard knelt again.
“What is it?”
She looked toward Ethan before returning her frightened eyes to Richard.
“There’s something you need to see.”
Ethan went completely still.
Richard noticed.
“What?”
Emily swallowed.
“My phone.”
Richard found it beneath the coffee table.
The screen was cracked.
Emily whispered four words.
“Open the hidden folder.”
Across the room, Ethan suddenly stepped forward.
“No.”
Richard looked at him.
May you like
And in that instant, he knew.
Whatever was on Emily’s phone frightened Ethan more than the approaching police.
