Chapter 4 - The Night Visitor
Weeks passed.
Emma became the only person in the house who did not tiptoe around Danny’s anger.
She opened curtains. She played music while cleaning. She argued with him about medication and left his study when he became cruel.
One evening, Danny returned from a meeting and found Emma asleep beside his bed.
He froze.
She had fallen asleep sitting upright, one hand resting near the blanket covering his legs.
Danny looked toward the doorway.
“Why was she in here?”
The guard shifted uneasily. “She said you called.”
“I didn’t.”
Before the guard could answer, Emma woke.
“Your pain medication,” she said sleepily. “You missed the evening dose.”
“I didn’t call you.”
“You don’t have to. The entire house heard you.”
Danny glanced at the clock. “You stayed?”
“I was waiting.”
“You could have left.”
She rubbed her eyes. “I need this job.”
The answer should have irritated him.
Instead, it hurt.
Danny noticed a bruise on her wrist.
“Who did that?”
Emma pulled her sleeve down. “Nobody.”
“Emma.”
She looked away. “A debt collector grabbed me outside the bus station.”
Danny’s expression changed.
“I told you it was handled.”
“You told him to leave me alone.”
“I told him more than that.”
“That isn’t handling it. That’s threatening people.”
“It worked.”
“That doesn’t make it right.”
Danny rolled closer. “You think you can lecture me?”
“I think someone should.”
He stared at her.
Then he said, “No one touches you again.”
Emma’s expression softened.
“Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”
May you like
Danny looked toward the locked west wing.
“I keep my promises.”
