Thomas Reed doubled security at Adrian’s home before sunset.

Two guards at the front gate.

One near the back entrance.

Another inside.

Adrian hated turning his home into a fortress.

But Olivia did not complain.

She kept Emma close.

That worried him.

His sixteen-year-old daughter should have been thinking about school, friends, and whether she had enough time to finish her history essay.

Instead, she checked windows.

She watched security monitors.

She flinched every time a car slowed outside.

At 8:32 p.m., Adrian found her sitting beside Emma’s crib.

“You need sleep.”

“So do you.”

“I’m serious.”

“So am I.”

He sat beside her.

For a moment, neither spoke.

Then Olivia asked the question he had been avoiding.

“Is Clara coming back?”

Adrian looked at Emma.

“I don’t know.”

“Did you ask?”

“She doesn’t want to talk to me.”

“You could still ask.”

“I don’t have the right to pressure her.”

Olivia looked at him.

“Since when do you know that?”

The words stung.

Adrian accepted them.

“Since I learned it the hard way.”

Olivia’s expression softened slightly.

Then every light in the house went out.

The room became black.

Emma immediately began crying.

Olivia froze.

“Dad.”

Adrian reached for his phone.

No signal.

The backup lights did not activate.

That was wrong.

The house had a generator.

Adrian opened the nursery door.

“Thomas!”

No answer.

He heard running downstairs.

Then a crash.

Adrian locked the nursery.

He turned toward Olivia.

“Take Emma into the bathroom.”

“What’s happening?”

“Now.”

She obeyed.

Adrian grabbed the heavy flashlight from the emergency drawer.

Footsteps sounded in the hallway.

Adrian raised the flashlight.

“Who’s there?”

“Mr. Mercer.”

Thomas appeared.

His forehead was bleeding.

“What happened?”

“Someone killed power at the exterior service panel.”

“The generator?”

“Disabled.”

“How?”

“Whoever did it knew the system.”

Matthew.

Adrian did not need to say the name.

Thomas touched his earpiece.

“Front team, report.”

Static.

Then a voice.

“Gate secure.”

Another guard responded.

“Rear secure.”

Thomas looked at Adrian.

“If no one entered, this may be a diversion.”

Adrian understood immediately.

“For what?”

His phone vibrated.

One bar of signal appeared.

A message arrived.

Unknown number.

Adrian opened it.

A photograph filled the screen.

Clara.

She was walking from Maria’s apartment building toward a car.

The picture had been taken less than an hour earlier.

Beneath it were six words.

Tell police to stop looking.

Adrian stared at the image.

Thomas read over his shoulder.

“I’m calling Ramirez.”

The next message arrived.

Another photograph.

Closer.

Clara standing beside Maria’s car.

Then a third message.

This one showed Maria entering the driver’s seat.

The caption made Adrian’s blood run cold.

You already hurt her once.

Don’t make me finish it.

Adrian called Clara.

No answer.

Again.

No answer.

Olivia came from the bathroom carrying Emma.

“What happened?”

“Go back inside.”

“No.”

“Olivia.”

“Is it Uncle Matthew?”

Adrian did not answer.

That was enough.

Olivia looked at the phone.

“Is that Clara?”

“Go inside.”

Instead, Olivia pulled out her own phone.

She called.

Clara answered on the first ring.

“Olivia?”

Adrian grabbed the phone.

“Clara, where are you?”

Silence.

Then Clara’s voice hardened.

“Why are you calling from Olivia’s phone?”

“I received pictures of you.”

“What pictures?”

“Someone is watching you.”

Clara stopped breathing for a second.

Adrian continued.

“Get inside.”

“I’m already in Maria’s car.”

“Lock the doors.”

“We’re three blocks from her apartment.”

“Do not go back.”

“Adrian—”

“Drive to the nearest police station.”

Clara finally heard the fear in his voice.

“Okay.”

The call ended.

Thomas was already speaking to Detective Ramirez.

Adrian turned toward the window.

Across the dark lawn, something moved near the trees.

A light flashed.

Just once.

Thomas saw it too.

He ran outside with security.

They found no person.

Only a small wireless camera attached to a tree.

It faced directly toward Emma’s nursery window.

Taped beneath it was a note.

Adrian read it under the flashlight.

You should have listened when she warned you.

There was no signature.

There did not need to be.