Chapter 11 - BREACHING THE NURSERY
The front door was unlocked, left ajar in Vivian’s sudden panic. Marcus, Natalie, and I rushed inside, closely followed by two uniformed officers. When we pushed open the nursery door, the scene was heartbreaking: Emma was still kneeling on the carpet, carefully picking up shards of glass with trembling, bleeding fingers while crying softly, and Oliver was wailing in his crib where Vivian had hastily dumped him. Vivian stood by the changing table, trying desperately to paste back on her sweet grandmotherly expression as the officers entered. “Oh, thank goodness you’re here, officers,” Vivian cried out, playing the victim with practiced ease. “Emma had a hysterical episode and smashed her own medication! I was trying to calm the baby—!” “Save it, Vivian,” Marcus interrupted sharply, stepping forward and dropping the emergency protection order onto the changing table. I bypassed everyone, dropping to my knees beside Emma, pulling her gently into my arms as Natalie rushed to scoop up our crying baby.
