Chapter 30 - Shadows at the Gate
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The next morning, the sun rose bright and clear, casting long golden beams through the living room windows.
My mother walked down the stairs wearing a comfortable cardigan, a soft smile on her face as she smelled the fresh coffee I had brewed.
"Good morning, sweetheart," she said cheerfully, coming over to kiss my cheek. "I slept better last night than I have in years."
"Good morning, Mom," I said, handing her a warm mug. I kept my voice completely steady, giving no indication of the note or the car from the night before.
Suddenly, my cell phone buzzed on the counter. It was a text message from an unknown number.
I opened it under the counter where my mother couldn't see.
I'm closer than you think, Sarah. Tell Evelyn I'm coming home.
My heart thudded against my ribs, but my hands didn't shake. Not this time.
I looked over at my mother, who was sitting at the sunlit kitchen table, drinking her coffee, looking radiant, whole, and completely at peace.
I looked out the front window. The black sedan was gone, but I knew it wouldn't be long before Arthur made his move. He thought he was coming to reclaim his servant.
He didn't realize that this time, he wasn't facing a helpless woman and a terrified daughter. He was facing a wall of iron, backed by the police, the hospital, Mr. Pendelton, and a daughter who would gladly burn his world to the ground to protect her mother.
I walked over to the front door, checked the deadbolt lock, and set my phone on the counter, ready to dial Dr. Reynolds, Clara Mercer, and the police chief at the first sign of trouble.
My mother looked up at me with a warm, trusting smile. "Everything okay, Sarah?"
May you like
I looked at the front gate, then back at my mother, stepping between her and the window, my chest rising with fierce, quiet determination.
"Everything is going to be just fine, Mom," I said softly, my eyes fixed on the driveway. "No matter what comes to that door."
