Chapter 5 - Whispers in the Nursery
After dinner, while Wendy busied herself in the kitchen pretending to brew another pot of "special soothing tea" for Jessi, I quietly excused myself and went upstairs to Fiona’s bedroom.
The room was bathed in the soft, warm glow of a star-shaped nightlight. Fiona was sitting propped up in her four-poster bed, clutching her stuffed panda bear tightly against her chest. When she saw me step through the door and softly latch it behind me, her entire posture melted with relief.
"Daddy," she whispered, holding out her arms.
I sat on the edge of the mattress and pulled her into a warm, fierce embrace, kissing the crown of her head. "I'm right here, Fiona. Everything is under control. Daddy is handling everything."
"Did Grandma find out?" she asked, her voice shaking against my neck.
"No, sweetheart. Grandma has no idea. You are completely safe, and so is Mommy."
Fiona pulled back, looking into my eyes with an intensity that broke my heart. "Daddy, Grandma told me that if I told you about the black key, she would put Mommy into a hospital where they lock the doors from the outside. She said Mommy is sick in her head and that only Grandma can keep her out of jail."
A cold, white-hot fury burned through my veins, but I kept my face entirely serene for my daughter. "Listen to me very carefully, Fiona. Mommy is not crazy, and she is not going to any hospital. Grandma has been telling terrible lies because she is a very sick, selfish person. But tonight, Marcus and his friends are watching every corner of our house. Nobody can hurt you. Nobody can touch Mommy."
I reached into my pocket and pulled out a small, silver tracking pendant shaped like a butterfly. I clasped it around Fiona’s neck and tucked it beneath her pajama shirt.
"Do you remember the game of hide-and-seek we play at the cabin?" I asked softly.
She nodded.
"This little butterfly is our secret beacon. If anyone ever tries to take you anywhere without Daddy, this pendant sends a silent alarm straight to Marcus’s team. All you have to do is squeeze the wings together for three seconds. Can you remember that?"
"Squeeze the wings," she repeated, pressing her thumb and forefinger against the pendant.
"That's my girl," I smiled, pulling the blankets up over her shoulders. "Now, I need you to stay in this room tonight. Maria is going to sleep in the armchair right by your door. Even if you hear noises downstairs, do not come out. Do you trust me?"
"I trust you, Daddy."
May you like
I kissed her forehead, walked out into the corridor, and gave Maria a brief, silent nod. Maria, whose loyalty to our family spanned over a decade, patted the concealed stun device tucked into the pocket of her apron.
Now, it was time to save my wife.
