Chapter 14 - INTO THE NURSERY
“No.”
Sarah ran.
Detective Brooks shouted after her.
“Sarah!”
She didn’t stop.
The front door was electronically locked.
Sarah ran around the side of the house.
The old kitchen entrance.
Before the smart renovation, the door had used a manual deadbolt.
Mrs. Gomez, the cook, always complained that Daniel never replaced it.
Sarah grabbed the emergency key from beneath the garden box.
The door opened.
Smoke hit her.
She covered her mouth.
“Leo!”
A police officer followed.
“Stay behind me!”
They moved through the kitchen.
Up the back stairs.
The hallway was dark.
A smoke alarm screamed.
The officer kicked open the nursery door.
Daniel stood beside the crib.
Renee was tied to the chair.
A small fire burned near the curtain.
“Don’t!” Daniel shouted.
He held a lighter.
Sarah saw Leo.
Alive.
Crying.
She stepped forward.
“Daniel.”
“Stay back!”
“You said you cared about Claire.”
“I did.”
“Then look at her son.”
Daniel’s hand trembled.
Sarah kept moving slowly.
“She died protecting him.”
“You don’t know that.”
“You’re right.”
Another step.
“But I know what she wouldn’t want.”
Daniel’s eyes filled with tears.
“Stop.”
“She wouldn’t want Leo choking on smoke because you want revenge.”
“Renee killed her!”
“Then let the police prove it.”
“They won’t.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I have spent two years knowing that!”
Renee screamed, “He’s crazy!”
Daniel spun toward her.
That second was enough.
Sarah lunged for the crib.
The officer tackled Daniel.
The lighter hit the floor.
Flame raced across spilled liquid.
“Fire!”
Sarah grabbed Leo.
He buried his face against her neck.
“I’ve got you.”
Renee screamed.
“Don’t leave me!”
Sarah stopped.
For one furious second, she wanted to.
This woman had helped destroy Claire.
Had helped frame Sarah.
Had endangered Leo.
But she was tied to a chair in a burning room.
Sarah handed Leo to the officer.
“Take him!”
“What are you doing?”
“Go!”
Sarah ran back.
Flames climbed the curtain.
Daniel struggled beneath another officer.
Sarah pulled at Renee’s ropes.
“They’re too tight.”
Renee sobbed.
“Please.”
Sarah found a pair of nursery scissors.
Cut once.
Twice.
The rope broke.
A piece of burning fabric fell from the curtain.
Sarah shoved Renee away.
The fabric landed across Sarah’s sleeve.
Heat exploded against her arm.
She screamed.
Renee grabbed a blanket and smothered it.
“Move!”
They ran.
At the top of the stairs, smoke swallowed everything.
Ethan appeared below.
“Sarah!”
“I’m here!”
“Leo?”
“With the officer!”
Ethan nearly collapsed with relief.
They reached the front lawn.
Paramedics took Sarah.
Ethan grabbed Leo and held him against his chest.
This time, he didn’t shake.
He just cried.
Openly.
Renee was placed in handcuffs.
Daniel sat on the curb, staring at the ground.
Detective Brooks approached Ethan.
“We found something.”
He looked up.
“What?”
She held an evidence bag.
Inside was a flash drive.
“Daniel had it.”
“What’s on it?”
“Copies of medical logs from the night Claire died.”
Ethan went completely still.
Brooks continued.
“One nurse’s login was used to alter a medication record.”
Sarah looked at Renee.
Her face had gone pale.
Ethan whispered, “Whose login?”
Detective Brooks looked directly at Renee.
“Her sister’s.”
Renee screamed, “That proves nothing!”
Brooks nodded.
“Maybe.”
Then she held up another evidence bag.
Inside was an old phone.
“But the messages on this might.”
May you like
Renee stopped fighting.
And Ethan finally understood that the nightmare had started long before Sarah ever heard Leo scream.
