Chapter 4 - The First Lie
Abigail called at eight that night.
Diane answered from the kitchen.
“Where’s Hunter?”
“He fell asleep early.”
“At eight?”
“He played outside all afternoon.”
Abigail heard movement upstairs.
“Put the phone beside him. I just want to hear his voice.”
“Don’t wake him.”
Hunter was not asleep.
He was standing at the top of the stairs while Mason remained hidden inside the downstairs study.
Diane looked up and pressed one finger to her lips.
Hunter shook his head.
He wanted to run down and tell his mother.
Rachel caught him before he reached the first step.
“Not tonight,” she whispered.
“Mom said he can’t be here.”
“I know.”
“Then make him leave.”
Rachel looked ashamed.
“Your grandmother is handling it.”
Downstairs, Abigail became uneasy.
“Mom, are you alone?”
“Rachel is here.”
“Anyone else?”
Diane’s eyes moved toward the closed study door.
“No.”
Hunter heard the lie.
He tried to shout.
Rachel covered his mouth.
Not hard.
But hard enough.
Hunter bit her palm.
Rachel released him with a gasp.
“Mom!” Hunter yelled.
Diane immediately ended the call.
Abigail called back.
No one answered.
Diane rushed upstairs.
“Why would you do that?”
“Because he’s here!”
Hunter pointed toward the study.
“You lied to Mom.”
Diane lowered her voice.
“Your father came to apologize.”
“He’s not my father.”
The study door opened.
Mason stepped into the hallway.
Hunter backed into the wall.
Mason’s pleasant expression had disappeared.
“You shouldn’t speak to your grandmother that way.”
“You have to leave.”
“This is family business.”
“My mom is my family.”
Mason’s jaw tightened.
Rachel stepped between them.
“That’s enough. You saw him. Now go.”
Mason looked at her for a long moment.
Then the smile returned.
“Of course.”
He left through the back door.
Hunter ran to the kitchen phone.
Diane unplugged it before he could dial.
“You are not upsetting your mother over one harmless visit.”
“It wasn’t harmless.”
“You’re six years old. You don’t understand.”
Hunter looked from Diane to Rachel.
For the first time, he understood that the adults caring for him were not going to protect him.
Abigail called seventeen more times that night.
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Diane texted that the neighborhood had lost phone service.
👉 Hunter now knew his grandmother would lie for Mason—but he had not yet discovered what Mason wanted him to say on camera.
