Chapter 2 - Sirens in the NightBefore Eleanor could reach the grand staircase, the heavy oak front doors shuddered under a barrage of heavy pounding, followed immediately by the wailing wail of approaching police sirens tearing through the affluent silence of the district.
Red and blue strobe lights painted the vaulted foyer in frantic neon flashes, washing over Sarah as she leaned against Arthur’s shoulder, weeping softly while clutching her protruding belly.
"It's alright, my dear," Arthur whispered gently, his hand hovering protectively over her back. "They are here. You and the baby are safe now."
"She... she tried to kill us, Arthur," Sarah sobbed, her body wracked with tremors. "If you hadn't..."
"I have watched over this house for four decades, Mrs. Vance," Arthur interrupted quietly, his eyes dark. "I failed to protect the master when it mattered. I will not fail his child."
Heavy boots thundered across the threshold as four uniformed police officers, led by a rugged detective with a face like worn leather, flooded the foyer.
"Freeze! Stay right where you are!" Detective Vance—no relation to the family, thankfully—barked, his hand resting instinctively on his holster as he took in the chaotic scene: the weeping pregnant woman, the stoic butler, and the pale, trembling billionaire matriarch trapped halfway down the grand staircase.
Eleanor caught her breath, instantly switching from panic to aristocratic indignation. She smoothed the front of her silk blouse, lifting her chin with practiced arrogance.
"Officer, thank goodness you're here," Eleanor projected her voice, dripping with theatrical distress. "This unhinged girl threw herself into a fit of hysteria, tripped over her own clumsy feet, and nearly fell. My loyal employee here is senile—he’s losing his mind and hallucinating a crime scene!"
May you like
Detective Hayes stepped forward, his sharp eyes scanning Eleanor from head to toe before shifting to the security camera directly mounted above the archway—a camera that blinked with a steady, recording red light.
"Is that right?" Detective Hayes murmured, stepping past Eleanor. He looked up at the red light, then back at the billionaire. "Well, good thing modern mansions come with crystal-clear high-definition audio and video feeds, Mrs. Vance. Let's see what the tape has to say."
Related Stories
