Chapter 1
I came home from school and saw Dad gripping Mom’s hair over the kitchen sink. When I tried to pull her free, he slapped me to the floor.
“Ethan, stop!” Mom screamed.
Dad forced her face closer to the running water.
“You should’ve kept your mouth shut, Sarah.”
I wrapped both arms around his waist.
“Let go of my mommy!”
He turned and struck me across the cheek.
I fell beside my backpack, too shocked to cry.
Mom fought her way between us.
“Emily, run!”
Dad grabbed her hair again.
I raced upstairs and locked myself in my bedroom.
My hands shook as I found the old phone Mom had hidden beneath my mattress.
There was only one saved number.
Mom had made me memorize the name beside it.
CALL IF DAD HURTS US.
I pressed the button.
A man answered after one ring.
“Emily?”
I whispered, “He’s doing it again.”
His voice changed immediately.
“Is your mother alive?”
“Yes, but Dad won’t let her go.”
“Stay in your room. I’m coming.”
Dad began pounding on my door.
“Who are you talking to?”
I pushed my desk against the handle.
Downstairs, Mom screamed my name.
Dad kicked the door until the frame cracked.
Then he heard the man’s voice through the phone.
“Ryan, step away from that door.”
Dad suddenly stopped.
All the anger disappeared from his face.
“You told him where we live?” he whispered.
Red and blue lights flashed across my bedroom window.
May you like
Several black vehicles stopped behind the police cars.
The man on the phone said, “Open the window, Emily—then your father will finally learn why your mother was placed in witness protection.”
