Chapter 30 - Refusing the Fear
I emerged from the office just as the sun began to set, casting long, menacing shadows across the garden. My father was securing the heavy iron deadbolts on the front door.
"Lily is asleep in the interior hallway," he whispered. "There are no windows. It’s the safest place in the house."
"Good," I said, handing him a high-powered flashlight and a two-way radio. "We are going to activate the perimeter motion sensors. If he comes tonight, I want to know the exact moment his foot touches the grass."
"Emmy," my father said softly, placing a hand on my shoulder. "You don't have to face him alone. We can call for backup. We can leave the state."
"If we run, we will spend the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders," I replied, looking directly into his eyes. "Lily deserves a childhood free of fear. I refuse to raise her in the shadow of a monster."
My father nodded slowly, understanding the absolute finality in my voice.
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"Then we stand our ground."
I walked to the central security panel on the wall and entered a complex passcode. The house hummed as the infrared cameras and silent alarms came online. The trap was set.
