Chapter 6
“Danielle, don't open that door.”
My sister didn't answer immediately.
I could hear Maya in the background.
“Auntie, who's there?”
Danielle lowered her voice.
“Sweetheart, go into the bedroom.”
Another knock.
Harder this time.
I grabbed my car keys.
“Danielle!”
“I'm here.”
“Stay on the phone.”
I told Evelyn what was happening.
She immediately contacted the officer assigned to Maya's case.
Within minutes, police were on their way to my house.
But those minutes felt endless.
I could hear footsteps through Danielle's phone.
Then a man's voice.
“Delivery for Mr. Carter.”
Danielle whispered, “He's wearing a courier uniform.”
“Don't open it.”
“I won't.”
The man knocked again.
“Ma'am, I need a signature.”
Danielle remained silent.
Then I heard a car engine start.
“He's leaving,” she whispered.
“Can you see the license plate?”
“Not clearly. The SUV has tinted windows.”
I drove faster.
Every red light felt like torture.
When I finally reached our street, two police vehicles were parked outside.
I barely waited for my car to stop before running toward the house.
Danielle opened the door.
Maya was standing behind her.
“Daddy!”
She ran into my arms.
I lifted her off the floor.
My little girl clung to me so tightly that I could barely breathe.
“Are we in trouble?”
“No, baby.”
“Why are the police here?”
I kissed her forehead.
“Because they're helping us stay safe.”
She looked toward the door.
“Did I do something wrong?”
The question almost destroyed me.
I carried her to the couch.
“Listen carefully, Maya. Nothing that has happened is your fault.”
She nodded.
But I could tell she didn't fully believe me.
Children often search for reasons when adults behave cruelly.
And my daughter had been searching for one since the moment Vanessa destroyed her costume.
Officer Harris entered the living room.
“We found a package outside.”
I looked up.
“What package?”
“A plain envelope. No return address.”
She held it in an evidence bag.
Inside was a photograph of my construction office.
Across the bottom, someone had written:
FAMILIES WHO TALK LOSE EVERYTHING.
My stomach tightened.
“Is Richard behind this?”
Officer Harris remained careful.
“We're investigating. We can't assign responsibility without evidence.”
I nodded.
I hated that answer.
But I understood it.
The police checked nearby security cameras and asked neighbors about the SUV.
Then Officer Harris gave me a direct phone number for urgent developments in the case.
Before leaving, she crouched beside Maya.
“Sweetheart, the adults are working very hard to make sure you're safe.”
Maya looked at her.
“Can you make my daddy stop being sad?”
Officer Harris's eyes softened.
She glanced at me.
I looked away.
I hadn't realized Maya could see how frightened I was.
That evening, Danielle helped me pack.
I decided Maya and I would stay somewhere Richard couldn't easily find us.
A hotel wouldn't be ideal.
I wanted somewhere familiar and secure.
My mother lived forty minutes outside the city.
Her house had a fenced yard, good neighbors, and a police officer living two doors down.
More importantly, Maya loved it there.
She called it Grandma's Happy House.
I called Mom.
When I told her what had happened, she was silent for several seconds.
Then she said, “Bring my grandbaby home.”
I almost cried.
Rachel arrived while we were loading the car.
She stood beside the driveway.
“Marcus, where are you going?”
I closed the trunk.
“Somewhere safe.”
“Can I come?”
I looked toward Maya.
She was sitting in the back seat with her stuffed rabbit.
When she saw Rachel, she turned her face toward the window.
I shook my head.
“Not tonight.”
Rachel's eyes filled.
“She's my daughter.”
“I know.”
“I need to see her.”
“She needs time.”
Rachel covered her mouth.
“Does she hate me?”
I stared at her.
“No. That's what makes this worse.”
Rachel started sobbing.
I wanted to hold her.
For twelve years, comforting Rachel had been instinctive.
But another instinct was stronger now.
Protecting my daughter.
I opened the driver's door.
“Cooperate with Evelyn and the investigators. Tell them everything.”
Rachel nodded.
“Okay.”
“And Rachel?”
She looked up.
“Don't ask Maya to forgive you before she's ready.”
I drove away before she could answer.
At my mother's house, Maya finally smiled.
Grandma Eleanor opened the door wearing her favorite yellow cardigan.
“My sweet angel!”
Maya rushed into her arms.
Mom held her for a long time.
Then she looked over Maya's shoulder at me.
I saw the tears in her eyes.
But she didn't let Maya see them.
Instead, she kissed her granddaughter's curls.
“I made peach cobbler.”
Maya gasped.
“With the crunchy top?”
“With the crunchy top.”
For the first time in two days, I heard my daughter laugh.
That sound made the entire drive worth it.
Later that night, after Maya fell asleep, Mom found me sitting alone on the porch.
She handed me a cup of tea.
“You look like your father when you're worried.”
I smiled weakly.
“He worried too much.”
“He loved you very much.”
I stared into the darkness.
“Mom, I failed her.”
She sat beside me.
“No.”
“I should've known something was happening.”
“You can't protect a child from every cruel person.”
“I could've protected her from her own mother.”
Mom shook her head.
“Rachel's choices belong to Rachel.”
I swallowed.
“Do you think Maya will ever trust her again?”
“I don't know.”
The honesty hurt.
Mom placed a hand over mine.
“But Maya knows she can trust you.”
I looked toward the house.
Through the window, I could see the small lamp beside Maya's bed.
Mom continued.
“Don't let those people turn your love into anger that consumes you.”
I closed my eyes.
“I want them to pay.”
“They should be held accountable.”
She squeezed my hand.
“But your daughter needs her father more than she needs revenge.”
I sat quietly.
Then my phone vibrated.
Andre.
I answered.
“What's wrong?”
His voice was tense.
“Marcus, somebody broke into our office.”
I stood.
“What?”
“They took files.”
“Which files?”
“Our city project documents.”
My heart raced.
“Was anybody hurt?”
“No. The cleaning crew discovered it.”
“Call the police.”
“Already did.”
I looked toward the house.
Maya was finally sleeping peacefully.
I couldn't leave her.
Not again.
Then Andre said something that changed everything.
“Marcus, the security camera caught the person.”
I gripped the phone.
“Who was it?”
Andre hesitated.
“It wasn't Richard.”
“Then who?”
“It was one of our own employees.”
I stopped breathing.
“Who?”
Andre spoke quietly.
“Your office manager.”
My mind went blank.
“Denise?”
“Yes.”
Denise had worked for me for seven years.
She had attended Maya's birthday parties.
She knew my family.
She knew my passwords, my schedules, and my business.
I pressed a hand against the porch railing.
“Why would Denise steal from us?”
Andre lowered his voice.
“Because I think Richard has been paying her.”
I stared into the darkness.
The threat was no longer outside my business.
May you like
It was already inside.
And I had trusted the person who opened the door.
