Chapter 12 - The External Bolt
Officer Miller frowned, looking from me to the burning front entrance of the house.
“What do you mean, ma'am?”
“My mother and sister locked me in that room before the fire started,” I said, pointing a trembling finger at Jessica, who stood near the driveway. “They locked it from the hallway. And I called 911 on a hidden phone while I was trapped inside.”
My mother let out a soft, pitying gasp, turning to the neighbor standing beside her. “You see? She’s having an episode. She has always blamed us for her struggles...”
“Check the 911 recording,” I insisted, grabbing Officer Miller’s sleeve. “I called at eight-fourteen PM. Ask the dispatcher what I reported before the fire engines were even dispatched.”
Officer Miller keyed his shoulder radio, stepping three paces away to speak quietly with the dispatch center.
My mother’s confident posture flickered for a fraction of a second. Her hand twitched against her handbag strap.
Jessica stepped closer to her, whispering nervously under her breath. “Mom... what did she just say?”
“Be quiet,” my mother hissed through her teeth, her public smile completely gone.
Officer Miller walked back toward us, his face hardened into a stone mask.
May you like
He looked at his partner, Officer Torres, and gave a sharp, subtle nod toward my mother and sister.
“Mrs. Monroe,” Officer Miller said calmly. “We need you both to step over to the patrol vehicle. Now.”
