Chapter 2 - Shadows in the Storm
The sudden flash of an off-camera lens caught Arthur’s peripheral vision. He froze, his hand hovering over Sarah’s torn collar, his gaze snapping toward the darkness of the driveway. Taking advantage of the sudden hesitation, Sarah wrapped both arms around Lily, scrambled onto her feet, and lunged backward onto the porch.
“Who is that out there?” Eleanor snapped, stepping toward the doorway, her cold façade cracking for the first time.
Arthur bolted into the driveway, shouting into the gloom, but the intruder slipped away effortlessly into an idling black sedan. The car sped off into the downpour, tires screeching against wet asphalt.
Sarah didn’t wait to see if Arthur would pursue. She grabbed Lily’s hand, scooped up the smallest duffle bag containing Lily's medications, and fled toward her battered compact car parked by the curb.
“Mommy, my coat!” Lily sobbed, looking back at the heaps of soaked luggage abandoned on the lawn.
“We have what matters, baby. Get in, lock the door!” Sarah urged, shoving Lily into the back seat before throwing herself behind the wheel. She slammed the lock down just as Arthur’s heavy fists pounded violently against the driver-side window, cracking the glass.
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Sarah jammed the key into the ignition, shifted into reverse, and tore down the road. In the rearview mirror, Arthur stood drenched under the streetlamp, dialing a number on his phone with a sinister look of absolute certainty.
Just as Sarah let out a ragged breath, Lily pointed to the passenger seat. Lying on the dashboard was a sealed manila envelope that hadn’t been there before, labeled with Sarah’s full name and stamped: CONFIDENTIAL - DO NOT OPEN NEAR BIANCA.
