Chapter 5: The Law Intervenes
From the distance came sirens—three in total. Police and ambulance. The sound grew, slicing through the jazz still playing in the living room.
Sarah ran to the window. Blue and red lights flashed on their quiet suburban street. Reality crashed down on her.
“David, stop them!” she screamed, grabbing his arm. “It’s a misunderstanding! We can’t have the police here! Think of his school! Think of my reputation! Think of the neighbors!”
David shook her off, his expression pure repulsion. “You should have thought of that before you chose your lover over your son’s life.”
The front door burst open.
Three police officers entered, guns low but ready, scanning the room. EMTs rushed past with a stretcher, heading back to David’s car.
“Police!” the lead officer shouted. “We have a report of a child in distress!”
“The victim is in my vehicle,” David said, pointing out the door. “These are the suspects.”
He handed the officer his unlocked phone.
“Officer, this device contains photos of the injuries, digital logs of the door being barricaded, and an audio confession from the mother that she lied about his location.”
He gestured at the heavy dining chair in the corner.
“If you dust that chair for prints, you’ll find Ted’s fingerprints on the backrest—the one he wedged under the door handle upstairs.”
The officer turned to Ted. “Sir, turn around. Hands behind your back.”
“This is crazy!” Ted shouted as the officer spun him and slammed him against the wall. “It’s my house! My friend’s house! I was disciplining the kid! He was out of control!”
“You are under arrest for Unlawful Imprisonment, Aggravated Child Endangerment, and Assault,” the officer said, clicking the cuffs.
They turned to Sarah.
She backed away, shaking, tears streaming. “I didn’t touch him! I didn’t lock the door! It was Ted! I just sat here!”
“Ma’am,” the second officer said, grabbing her arm, “you are under arrest for Child Neglect and Accessory to a Felony. You lied to the father while the child was injured. That makes you complicit.”
“David!” Sarah shrieked as the cuffs bit into her wrists. “I’m his mother! You can’t do this! I didn’t know he jumped! I just wanted him to be quiet! Please!”
