Chapter 3 - THE RULES
Daniel felt the room tilt.
He pulled back just enough to see Ethan's face. "What do you mean, not the first time?"
Ethan looked toward the open doorway.
"Is Claire here?"
"She's not coming near you."
"Promise?"
"I promise."
Ethan swallowed. "She has rules when you're gone."
Daniel sat beside him. Deputy Grant quietly closed the door and asked if Ethan wanted her to stay. He nodded.
"What rules?" Daniel asked.
Ethan stared at his own hands. "No snacks unless she says. No calling you at work. No closing my bedroom door. No talking about Mom. No telling teachers family stuff."
Daniel's throat tightened.
"Anything else?"
Ethan hesitated.
"There's a paper downstairs."
"What paper?"
"In the laundry room. On the wall behind the cabinet. She made me copy it when I messed up."
Grant took notes. "What did it say?"
Ethan whispered, "Rule seven is don't tell Dad."
Daniel closed his eyes.
Daniel had believed the adult.
"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked, then immediately hated the question.
Ethan flinched.
Daniel lowered his voice. "No. Forget that. You don't have to explain. I should've seen it."
Ethan's eyes filled. "She said you'd pick her because grown-ups always pick grown-ups."
Daniel reached for his hand. "She lied."
A knock sounded.
"Mr. Mercer, Claire is claiming Ethan has violent episodes. She says he attacked her tonight and ran toward the horse."
"That's insane."
"She also provided screenshots of messages she says you sent her about Ethan being out of control."
Daniel frowned. "I never sent anything like that."
Grant placed a printed screenshot on the table.
Daniel read the message allegedly sent from his number three weeks earlier:
IF HE GETS WORSE, DO WHATEVER YOU HAVE TO DO. I TRUST YOU.
His blood went cold.
"That's not mine."
Ethan looked up.
May you like
"Dad," he whispered, "she has another phone that looks like yours."
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