Chapter 7 - the shadow in the nursery
The storm raged violently outside, wind howling through the tall pine trees around the estate as lightning flashed across the dark sky.
Damon and Naomi rushed back up the stone stairs into the main house, their minds racing with the horrifying truth exposed by the tape.
"My mother knew..." Naomi whispered, her hands shaking as she held the lantern. "My mother died three years ago of heart failure... she never told me she was hiding your wife!"
"Martha was protecting her," Damon said, his face a terrifying mask of dark, focused fury. "Evelyn lied to the police, lied to the court, and faked the accident report so she could declare Elena legally dead and seize the family shipping trust."
They reached the second-floor corridor, heading quickly toward the nursery wing to check on Zuri.
Suddenly, the lights across the entire mansion flickered violently before plunging into total, pitch-black darkness!
"The power grid is down," Damon growled, drawing a concealed sidearm from his shoulder holster in a single fluid motion. "Naomi, stay behind me."
They navigated the dark hallway using the beam of Damon's tactical flashlight. As they approached the door of Zuri's bedroom, a dark silhouette stepped out from the shadows of the nursery doorway!
It was Evelyn, wrapped in a rain-soaked black trench coat, holding a small leather bag in her hand!
"Evelyn!" Damon roared, raising his weapon beam directly onto her face.
Evelyn gasped, stepping back into the nursery doorway, her face pale and manic under the bright white flashlight beam. "Damon! You weren't supposed to be down there!"
"Where is Zuri?!" Naomi screamed, rushing past Damon into the room.
Inside the nursery, three-year-old Zuri was sitting safely on her plush bed, holding her stuffed bear, looking up at the flashlight beam with wide, curious eyes.
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Evelyn backed against the window frame, her eyes wild with desperate rage. "She knows too much, Damon! That little brat found the key! She found the ring! She's going to ruin everything I built!"
"You tried to murder my wife four years ago, Evelyn," Damon said, his deep voice dropping into an icy, lethal register as he stepped into the room. "And today, you broke into my house to destroy the evidence."
