Chapter 4 - THE TRAP CLOSESHOOK: Arthur didn't just want custody—he wanted complete annihilation.
"You monster!" I lunged toward Arthur, but one of the police officers caught my arms, holding me back. "You did this! You burned her! Show them your hands! Show them what you did!"
Arthur didn't even flinch. He looked at the officer with pity. "See what I mean, Officer? She’s completely unstable. She’s been like this for months. Paranoia, explosive outbursts, extreme paranoia directed at me..."
"Dad, stop it!" Mark suddenly yelled, his voice cracking. "Stop this right now! What did you do to Jenna? Where is Jenna?!"
Arthur turned his cool blue eyes toward his son. "Jenna is fine, Mark. She’s resting at my house. She was terribly confused by Elena’s frantic phone calls. I suggested she take a sleeping aid and sleep it off."
"You lying bastard!" I screamed, struggling against the officer's grip.
Ms. Jenkins looked between us, her expression hardened. "Mr. Vance," she said to Arthur, "as the petitioner who filed the emergency affidavit, do you have temporary foster certification?"
"I do," Arthur replied smoothly, pulling a set of stamped legal documents from his briefcase. "I am a retired Magistrate, Ms. Jenkins. I filed for emergency temporary guardianship through Judge Sterling’s office thirty minutes ago. The sign-off is right here."
My blood ran cold. Judge Sterling was Arthur’s former law partner and a long-time family friend.
"This is corruption!" I cried out. "He’s using his old contacts to steal my child!"
"Mrs. Vance, if you do not calm down immediately, I will have the officers arrest you for obstructing a CPS investigation," Ms. Jenkins warned strictly.
"Elena, please, stop screaming!" Mark begged, tears streaming down his face. "You're making it worse!"
"Making it worse?!" I snapped, turning my fury on my husband. "He is taking our daughter! And you are standing there doing nothing!"
Inside the house, Lucy had crawled off the couch, her bandaged feet dragging along the carpet. She stood in the hallway doorway, clinging to the frame for support, her eyes wide with absolute terror.
"Mommy?" she whimpered. "Mommy, don't let Grandpa take me. Please."
Arthur stepped past me, his face softening into a terrifyingly sweet mask as he looked at Lucy. "Come, sweetheart. Grandpa’s got a safe place for you. Away from all this noise."
"Don't touch her!" I screamed.
I broke free from the officer's grip, grabbing a heavy brass candle holder from the entryway table, holding it high. "Step away from my daughter, Arthur, or I swear to God I will strike you down right here!"
The officers instantly drew their tasers. "Drop the weapon! Drop it now!"
"Elena, no!" Mark yelled, tackling me to the floor.
The brass candle holder clattered across the hardwood. The officers pinned my arms behind my back, clicking cold metal handcuffs around my wrists.
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As I was forced down onto the cold floor, face pressed against the rug, I watched through a veil of tears as Arthur gently wrapped Lucy in a blanket, lifted her into his arms, and carried her out into the snowy night.
"Mommy! Mommy!" Lucy screamed, her voice fading as the heavy front door clicked shut.
