Chapter 7 - The Trap Closes
Jessi froze. Her hand instinctively drifted to her pocket, where her smartphone rested.
The house was locked down. Every exterior door was deadbolted; every smart window sensor was armed. Maya’s locksmith had installed industrial-grade deadbolts that couldn't be picked from the outside.
Which meant whoever was in the attic hadn't broken in from the outside.
They were already inside the house when the locks were changed.
Luca had slipped back into the house during the chaotic afternoon hours when Jessi was at the lawyer’s office, using a hidden crawlspace entrance in the garage ceiling to slip into the attic undetected, waiting for the house to quiet down.
Thud.
Another heavy step directly above the kitchen island. Then, the slow, agonizing squeak of wooden floorboards shifting across the ceiling joists toward the attic pull-down stairs.
Jessi didn't panic. Her training in the trauma ward kicked in instantly—cold, hyper-focused, calculating every variable. She didn't shout up at the ceiling. She didn't run for the front door.
Instead, she silently stood up from the kitchen island, picked up her heavy ceramic mug of hot tea, and walked steadily down the hallway toward Fiona’s bedroom. She gently pushed the door open, slipped inside, locked the door from the inside, and wedged a heavy wooden chair beneath the brass doorknob.
Fiona stirred in her bed, murmuring softly in her sleep, hugging her golden retriever plushie tight against her chest.
“It’s okay, sweetheart,” Jessi whispered, stroking her daughter’s forehead with a trembling hand while keeping her eyes fixed on the locked bedroom door. “Mommy’s right here. Nothing is going to hurt you.”
Outside in the hallway, the attic stairs began to fold downward with a metallic screech.
Creeeeeeeak.
Heavy, deliberate footsteps hit the second-floor carpet. They weren't hiding anymore. The facade was completely gone, stripped away by desperation and rage.
Footsteps approached the master bedroom. Then, they paused.
A moment later, heavy footsteps moved down the hallway toward the guest suite. A low, frustrated curse echoed through the walls as Luca discovered Chloe’s empty luggage and the changed locks.
May you like
Then, the footsteps turned toward the rear of the house.
Toward Fiona’s room.
