Chapter 5 - DANIEL'S LIE
Daniel entered the house as though nothing had happened.
He was thirty-eight, polished, successful, and usually impossible to intimidate.
Tonight, however, his face was tense.
His eyes found Emma.
Then Lily.
Then the police.
"What happened?"
Emma stared at him.
"You tell me."
Daniel looked confused.
"I just got here."
"Why were your parents in my daughter's bedroom?"
Daniel looked toward Margaret.
Margaret remained silent.
One officer stepped forward.
"Mr. Carter, we'd like to ask you a few questions."
Daniel nodded.
"Of course."
Emma watched his face carefully.
He was good at lying.
He had lied to her for months.
The officer asked about the laptop.
Daniel said it belonged to him.
The officer asked about the documents.
Daniel said he didn't know what they were.
Emma stepped forward.
"You paid someone to investigate me."
Daniel looked at her.
"What?"
"You created a custody agreement."
His expression changed.
"Emma, that's not what you think."
"Then explain it."
He couldn't.
The officer opened a file.
It contained a draft petition requesting temporary custody of Lily.
Emma's hands went cold.
"You were planning to take her."
Daniel shook his head.
"That wasn't my decision."
"Whose was it?"
Silence.
Emma looked at Margaret.
Margaret looked at Daniel.
Daniel finally said:
"My mother thought it was necessary."
Emma felt betrayed all over again.
"You let her do this?"
Daniel lowered his voice.
"I was trying to protect you."
"From what?"
Daniel looked at Lily.
Then at the officers.
"I can't explain here."
Emma's voice became quiet.
"You've had months to explain."
Daniel stepped closer.
The officer immediately moved between them.
Daniel stopped.
Emma hugged Lily tighter.
The officer picked up another document.
"This says the child was going to be removed from the home within forty-eight hours."
Daniel's face turned pale.
Emma looked at him.
"You weren't protecting me."
Daniel said nothing.
"You were planning to take my daughter."
And then the officer found a second name on the paperwork.
Emma recognized it immediately.
May you like
It belonged to someone she had never met.
Someone who would change everything.
