Chapter 5
The front door pushed open wider without an invitation, admitting a tall, middle-aged police officer whose dark uniform was crisp despite the late hour. Officer Miller stepped inside, his hand resting casually near his duty belt, though his eyes scanned the hallway with practiced alertness. He took in the flashing lights spilling through the front window, the sound of muffled voices coming from the guest bedroom, and the tense posture of the two men standing in the narrow corridor.
"Evening, Arthur. David," Miller said, his voice deep and measured, carrying the authority of badge and uniform while retaining a familiar local cadence. "Dispatch got a 911 transfer from a neighbor reporting a severe domestic disturbance and a possible medical emergency at this address. Looks like the EMTs beat me to the punch. How is Sarah?"
Arthur stepped forward, positioning himself slightly ahead of David as if to shield his son from the immediate line of questioning. "She’s stable, Tom. The medics are working on her now. It appears she ingested some medication from an old prescription."
Miller nodded slowly, though his sharp eyes shifted past Arthur to fix on David. "An overdose. Was it intentional?"
David opened his mouth to speak, but Arthur raised a hand slightly, a subtle signal for patience. "We don't know all the details yet, Tom. She’s been under a lot of stress lately with work and finances. David stopped by to check on her and found her unresponsive. He called us—well, he tried to figure out what to do, and I arrived shortly after."
Miller didn't blink. He took a slow step closer, his belt leather creaking in the confined space. "Mrs. Gable mentioned hearing raised voices coming from this house around twenty minutes before she called. She said it sounded violent. She thought someone was getting hurt."
"We were arguing," David finally interjected, stepping out from behind his father’s protective bulk. He kept his hands visible, open and empty at his sides, consciously trying to project compliance despite the frantic beating of his heart. "Sarah and I had a disagreement about some financial matters. It got loud, yes. But it wasn't physical. When I realized how distressed she was, I tried to calm her down. That's when I found out what she had done."
Miller studied David’s face for a long, uncomfortable moment, weighing the words against the nervous energy radiating from the younger man. "And the phone, David? Mrs. Gable mentioned seeing you pacing near the front window with Sarah's phone in your hand, refusing to answer when she tried to check in on you from the porch."
David felt a cold prickle of sweat run down his spine. The neighbor had seen more than they realized. He reached instinctively for the spot on his shirt where the phone had rested moments before, only to remember his father now held it.
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"I took it away from her," David admitted, his voice tight with defensive honesty. "She was reaching out to people who... well, she wasn't in her right mind. I didn't want her sending messages she'd regret or hurting herself further. I was holding it for safekeeping. I know it looks bad, Tom, but I was just trying to protect my sister."
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