Chapter 1
A bruised little boy burst into our Nashville police station screaming for help—and the man chasing him stopped dead when he saw me behind the desk.
“Don’t listen to him,” the man shouted. “He’s a lying little brat.”
The boy stumbled behind my desk, shaking so hard he could barely stand.
Then I recognized him.
“Mason?”
My eight-year-old nephew grabbed my uniform and whispered, “Aunt Emily, please don’t let him take me back.”
The man near the entrance was Travis, my sister’s boyfriend.
Three months earlier, I had warned him never to threaten Mason again.
Travis lifted his hands and forced a smile.
“This is a family misunderstanding.”
I knelt beside Mason and saw dark bruises along his arm.
“Where’s your mother?”
Mason’s eyes filled with tears.
“He locked Mom in the bedroom because she tried to call you.”
Travis stepped toward us.
“He fell off his bike. Give him to me.”
I stood between them.
“Take one more step, Travis.”
His smile disappeared.
“You’re his aunt, Emily. You can’t handle this case.”
He was right about one thing.
I couldn’t investigate it myself.
But every camera in that station was recording, and six officers had heard his threat.
Sergeant Collins moved toward him.
“Turn around and place your hands behind your back.”
Travis laughed.
“For what? A scared kid’s story?”
Mason reached into his pocket and handed me his cracked smartwatch.
“I recorded what he did to Mom.”
Travis lunged for it.
Two officers pinned his arms before he reached the desk.
The recording captured my sister begging him to stop while Travis threatened both her and Mason.
Another patrol unit rushed to their house and found my sister locked inside, injured but alive.
When Sergeant Collins tightened the handcuffs, Travis looked around for someone to defend him.
Nobody moved.
May you like
Mason finally released my uniform as Travis was escorted past us.
The last thing Travis saw was the little boy he had called powerless standing safely behind my badge.
