Chapter 4 - The Serpent in the GreenhouseThe Bentley sped through the deserted Hamptons highway at breakneck speed, cutting through the thick coastal fog like a blade. Declan drove with one hand, his knuckles white against the steering wheel, while his other hand rested near the firearm tucked into his waistband.
Emma sat in the passenger seat, the ruined teddy bear and its malicious hardware sitting in the footwell between them.
"If she’s behind this, why a teddy bear?" Emma broke the silence. "Why go to such elaborate lengths?"
"Because Meredith loves theater," Declan growled, his eyes fixed on the winding road ahead. "She likes poetic cruelty. Our mother died in a psychiatric facility after losing her grip on reality. Meredith wanted my girls to follow the exact same path. She wanted the medical community to institutionalize them so she could step in as the weeping, heroic aunt."
They pulled up to a sprawling, glass-walled estate overlooking the crashing Atlantic waves. It was Meredith’s sanctuary—a modern architectural masterpiece surrounded by high security fences and acres of manicured rose gardens.
The security gates were wide open.
Declan slammed on the brakes, the tires skidding across the gravel driveway. The main house was completely dark, save for a single amber light glowing from the conservatory at the back.
"Stay in the car," Declan ordered, stepping out into the cold night air.
"Not a chance," Emma snapped, opening her door and following him before he could object. "I’m the one who found the transmitter. I’m seeing this through."
Declan didn't argue. He knew stubbornness when he saw it—it was the exact look he wore in the mirror every morning.
May you like
They crept along the side of the house, keeping to the shadows of the towering hedges. The sound of classical music drifted faintly from the glass conservatory—a haunting, mournful piano sonata.
Declan kicked the glass door open with a deafening crash.
