Chapter 1 - THE MAN BESIDE THE WINEGLASS.
Lucy Bennett found Daniel Ashford lying motionless on the marble floor of the mansion library.
A fallen wineglass rested near his head, dark-red wine spreading across the white stone like something far worse. His black phone lay beside his hip.
“Daniel!”
The seven-year-old dropped her pink rabbit backpack and knelt safely away from the glass.
She removed the blue-and-orange emergency device her father had taught her to use.
“Dad said to use this if you wouldn’t wake up.”
The flat sensor beeped against Daniel’s wrist.
His breathing deepened.
Slowly, he opened his eyes.
“Lucy… who else was in this room?”
Relief disappeared from her face.
“The woman in the silver dress.”
A silhouette crossed the warm doorway and vanished.
Daniel tried to rise, but his body failed him.
Then his phone lit up.
A message appeared from his mother, Victoria Ashford:
“Is he awake? If he remembers the girl, move them both.”
Lucy read the words before the screen went dark.
May you like
Daniel whispered, “My family knows you’re here.”
Then the library doors locked from the outside.
