“Is Sophie there?”
“She’s upstairs.”
“Lock every door.”
“Why?”
“Do it now.”
My voice frightened her.
I hated myself for that.
“Dad?”
“Listen carefully. Go upstairs. Take Sophie. Lock yourselves in my bedroom. Don’t answer the door for anyone except uniformed officers. Understand?”
She started crying.
“Dad, what’s happening?”
“Nothing is going to happen.”
I needed her to believe it.
I needed to believe it too.
Police arrived before we did.
Marcus wasn’t there.
No broken windows.
No forced doors.
No sign anyone had entered.
The photograph had likely been taken minutes earlier from the sidewalk.
My daughters were safe.
When I finally reached them, Lucy launched herself into my chest so hard I nearly fell backward.
Sophie tried to act older.
She lasted six seconds before crying too.
I held both of them.
And in that moment, something inside me changed.
All day I had been reacting.
