Chapter 13 - Midnight Intruders
Back at the Greenwich mansion, the heavy iron security gates clicked open as Julian’s limousine rolled smoothly up the circular stone driveway. The night was quiet, wrapped in a blanket of misty autumn air.
Julian, Nora, and a sleepy, yawning Lucy stepped out of the car. Lucy rubbed her eyes, leaning heavily against Nora’s shoulder with her one-eared rabbit dangling by its foot.
"What a big night for our little advisor," Julian whispered warmly, lifting Lucy into his arms so she wouldn't have to walk up the grand front steps.
As Julian inserted the security key fob into the heavy oak front door, a subtle instinct pricked at the back of his mind. The air felt wrong. The faint, automated hum of the smart-home security panel in the foyer wasn't blinking its usual reassuring blue. It was glowing a faint, warning amber.
Julian froze, gently lowering Lucy back to her feet and placing a finger to his lips.
"Nora," Julian said in a low, steely whisper, his eyes scanning the dimly lit foyer. "Take Lucy and go straight to the panic room in the west wing gallery. Do not make a sound."
Nora’s face drained of color, her maternal instincts kicking in instantly. She didn't ask questions; she grabbed Lucy's hand tightly, pulling the little girl toward the reinforced corridor behind the library.
Julian slipped his hand into his tailored jacket, pressing the silent duress button linked directly to the local private security response unit and the Greenwich police department.
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Then, he stepped quietly into the shadowed hallway.
From the direction of his private study, he heard the faint, distinct sound of sliding metal drawers and rustling paper. Someone was searching his desk.
