Chapter 2: Sunday Night
"Why Sunday night?""
Julian's question filled the foyer.
Wren stared at the broken coffee cup.
Corinne moved first.
"This has gone far enough.""
She reached toward Wren.
Julian stepped between them.
"Don't touch her.""
Corinne froze.
"Excuse me?""
"You heard me.""
Wren clutched one strap of her backpack.
Julian softened his voice.
"Sweetheart, what happened Sunday night?""
Wren shook her head.
"I don't want to be late.""
It was avoidance.
Julian knew his daughter.
When Wren was frightened, she became painfully polite.
"Okay," he said.
"We'll talk after school.""
Corinne gave a sharp laugh.
"So now we're interrogating children?""
Julian turned toward her.
"No. I'm listening to mine.""
He drove Wren himself.
During the ride, she barely spoke.
At school, Julian walked her to the entrance.
Wren suddenly hugged him.
Hard.
"You're coming home tonight, right?""
Julian felt his stomach tighten.
"Of course.""
"Before dinner?""
"Yes.""
"Promise?""
"I promise.""
Only then did she let go.
Julian returned to the mansion at 9:06.
Corinne was waiting.
Her silk robe was gone.
She wore a cream dress and heels, as if dressing perfectly could restore control.
"We need to talk.""
Julian walked past her.
"Agreed.""
He entered his study and locked the door.
His security system stored ninety days of footage.
He selected Sunday.
Basement corridor.
8:00 p.m.
Nothing.
8:15.
Nothing.
8:43.
Movement.
Julian pressed play.
Wren appeared.
She wore pajamas and carried a laundry basket nearly half her size.
Julian's jaw tightened.
Then Corinne entered behind her.
"Faster.""
"I'm trying.""
"You weren't trying when you spilled juice on my dress.""
"It was an accident.""
"Everything is an accident with you.""
Corinne pointed downstairs.
"Wash everything.""
Wren stared toward the basement laundry room.
"But it's dark.""
"You're ten, not two.""
"I'm scared down here.""
"Then maybe you'll learn not to ruin my things.""
Corinne turned off the corridor light.
Wren screamed.
Julian shot out of his chair.
On the screen, darkness swallowed the basement.
"DON'T!""
Wren's terrified voice came through the camera microphone.
"Please! Corinne!""
A door slammed.
Julian could hear Wren crying.
"Please open it!""
Julian's hand shook on the mouse.
Minutes passed.
Wren pounded on the door.
"Please!""
Julian skipped forward.
Twenty minutes.
Forty.
An hour.
Wren remained locked inside.
At 10:17, Corinne returned.
She opened the door.
Wren stumbled out.
Her face was wet with tears.
"Are you going to spill things again?""
"No.""
"Louder.""
"No!""
"And are you going to tell your father?""
Wren shook her head violently.
Corinne crouched.
"If you tell him, he'll think you're causing trouble between us.""
Wren sniffled.
"I don't want Daddy mad.""
"He won't be mad at me, sweetheart.""
Corinne touched Wren's cheek.
"He'll be disappointed in you.""
Julian paused the footage.
For several seconds, he couldn't move.
A knock came at the study door.
"Julian.""
Corinne.
He opened it.
She saw the frozen security image behind him.
Her expression changed.
"You went looking.""
"You locked her in the basement.""
"She needed discipline.""
"For ninety-four minutes.""
"Don't exaggerate.""
"The camera has a clock.""
Corinne stepped inside.
"Julian, children manipulate situations. Wren has never accepted me.""
"She's ten.""
"Exactly. She's jealous.""
"Of what?""
"Us!""
Corinne's voice rose.
"She wants you entirely to herself.""
Julian stared at the woman he had married eighteen months earlier.
He remembered how gentle she had seemed around Wren before the wedding.
The gifts.
The baking afternoons.
The promises.
"I would never try to replace your mother," Corinne had once told Wren.
Now Julian wondered how much of it had been performance.
His phone rang.
His attorney.
"David.""
"Julian, I received your message. What's happening?""
"I need to discuss custody protections and removing someone from my residence.""
Corinne laughed bitterly.
"Your residence?""
Julian looked at her.
"Yes.""
"You can't just throw your wife onto the street.""
"Watch me.""
"Be careful.""
Something in her tone changed.
Julian lowered the phone.
"What does that mean?""
Corinne crossed her arms.
"You think you're holding every card because you have money.""
"This isn't about money.""
"Everything in your world is about money.""
Julian stared at her.
Corinne stepped closer.
"If you destroy this marriage, don't assume you walk away untouched.""
"Is that a threat?""
"It's reality.""
Julian opened the study door.
"Leave.""
"This is my home too.""
"Not this room.""
Corinne's face hardened.
Then she walked out.
Julian locked the door again.
"David," he said into the phone, "start whatever paperwork is necessary.""
His attorney was quiet.
"Before I do, Julian, there's something you should know.""
"What?""
"I received a document concerning Wren three weeks ago.""
Julian frowned.
"What document?""
"A petition.""
"For what?""
David hesitated.
"A petition bearing your electronic signature.""
Julian went still.
"I didn't sign anything.""
"I was afraid you'd say that.""
David sent the file.
Julian opened it.
The document appeared on his monitor.
His name was at the bottom.
JULIAN ASHCROFT.
Above it was a request granting Corinne temporary authority over Wren's schooling, medical decisions, travel, and residential care during Julian's business absences.
Julian's blood turned cold.
"Who filed this?""
"Corinne's attorney.""
Julian stared at the door.
Then at his forged signature.
And finally at one sentence buried on page seven.
In the event of extended paternal absence, residential placement may be transferred.
Transferred.
"David," Julian whispered, "transferred to whom?""
His attorney answered.
"That's the problem.""
Julian scrolled to the final page.
There was a second name.
A facility.
Blackwood Children's Behavioral Residence.
May you like
Julian had never heard of it.
Behind him, someone quietly tried the locked study door.
