Chapter 4 - The Toy Rabbit's Secret
The intruders didn't look like ordinary burglars. They wore tactical gear and moved with cold precision. Michael watched the live camera feed as one of them tore through Emma's bedroom, ignoring the expensive electronics and jewelry on the vanity.
Instead, the intruder grabbed Emma’s bedside table, tore open the drawers, and began searching frantically.
"They aren't looking for money," Michael realized, his eyes narrowing. "They're looking for something Emma had."
Downstairs, Michael’s private security guards engaged the intruders. Gunfire echoed through the marble hallways. Cornered, the two masked men threw flashbang grenades and escaped back out into the rainy night before the police could arrive.
Once the house was secured, Detective Miller arrived at the scene once again. Michael led him straight into Emma’s room.
"What could they possibly want in a four-year-old's bedroom?" Miller asked, inspecting the overturned furniture.
Michael walked over to the stuffed rabbit Emma had been clutching when he rescued her from the dog house. He picked it up and examined it closely. Feeling along the seams, he noticed a tiny, unnatural hard square buried deep inside the plush stuffing near the rabbit's ear.
Taking a small pocketknife, Michael carefully sliced open the seam. Out fell a micro-SD storage card wrapped in plastic.
"Emma said she kept her rabbit with her in the dog house," Michael said, handing the card to Miller. "Rachel didn't realize Emma had hidden this inside her toy."
Miller plugged the micro-SD card into his encrypted tablet. A series of audio files appeared on the screen. He clicked the most recent recording, dated three days prior.
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Rachel’s voice boomed softly through the speaker: "...The poison is working, Eleanor. She’s getting weaker every day. Once Michael is declared an unfit father due to her declining health, the court will strip his custody, and the $50 million trust fund will transfer automatically to you and Evelyn. Just make sure my payout is wired by Friday."
Another female voice replied—a voice Michael recognized instantly. It was Eleanor Sterling, his cold-hearted stepmother.
