12/06/2025
đˇ I wasnât expecting anyone that evening, so when I opened the door and saw two police officers, my stomach dropped.
âThis canât be right,â I managed to say, but one of them simply shook his head.
âMaâam, your daughter contacted us,â he said.
I turned around. Emma was standing in the hallway, crying, her hands trembling.
âMom,â she said between sobs, âI need to tell you somethingâŚ...When I answered the knock, two police officers stood on my porch. Their uniforms looked too crisp against the fading orange sky. âThis canât be right,â I said, half laughing, half trembling. But one of themâtall, fair-haired, with a calm professional toneâshook his head. âMaâam, your daughter reached out to us.â
For a moment, the world tilted. My hand still rested on the doorknob as I turned toward the living room. Emma stood there, twelve years old, clutching her stuffed rabbit. Her eyes were red and swollen. âMom,â she whispered, âI have to tell you somethingâŚâ
The room seemed to shrink. My pulse thudded in my ears. âSweetheart, whatâs going on?â I asked, stepping closer, but the officer raised a hand gently. âMaybe let her speak.â
Emmaâs voice cracked as she spoke, âYou said not to talk about what happened⌠but I had to.â My knees nearly gave out. âEmmaâwhat did you tell them?â I demanded, but her tears only came harder.
The officer cleared his throat. âMrs. Collins, your daughter called our department early this afternoon. She reported something about your husbandâMr. Daniel Collins.â I froze. My husband was supposed to be at work in Seattle until Friday.
âI donât understand,â I said. âWhat about Daniel?â
The younger officer exchanged a look with his partner. âShe said she saw him hurt someone.â
The silence that followed was unbearable. A passing carâs headlights sliced across the room, flashing over family photosâDaniel and Emma at the beach, us at Thanksgiving. My throat felt like sandpaper. âThatâs impossible,â I muttered. âMy husband wouldnâtâheâs a doctor, for Godâs sake.â
But Emma was shaking uncontrollably now, her words spilling through sobs. âIt was in the garage, Mom. Last night. I heard noises. I saw blood on his hands.â
Every piece of me wanted to deny it, to shout that it was a misunderstanding. Yet I remembered how Daniel had come home late, irritable, his sleeves rolled up, the faint smell of metal clinging to him. Iâd dismissed it as exhaustion.
The officer stepped forward. âWe need to ask you some questions, maâam. May we come in?â
I opened my mouth but no words came. Behind me, Emma reached for my hand. I felt it trembling in mine.
And that was how it beganâthe night my perfect life split open at the seams...Read more in Comment or Most relevant -> All Comments đ¨ď¸