Chapter 7 - THE NIGHT OF THE STORM
Rain began before sunset.
By nine, the windows shook beneath the storm.
Dominic kept Clara inside the library while Chief Pike searched her computer accounts.
Officer Grant stood outside the door.
Clara could hear the two policemen speaking to her husband as though they were employees reporting to a supervisor.
“She emailed someone,” Pike said.
“Can you stop it?” Dominic asked.
“Not without knowing the destination.”
Dominic entered the library holding the land authorization.
“Sign this, and the evening ends.”
Clara looked at the pen.
“What happened to my father?”
Dominic’s face remained calm.
“Your father drove too fast.”
“Why did Pike receive money after the accident report changed?”
The calmness vanished.
Dominic struck her across the face.
Clara fell against the desk.
Her belly hit the edge lightly, but fear shot through her entire body.
She wrapped both arms around her child.
Dominic grabbed her hair and forced her upright.
“Sign.”
“No.”
He dragged her to the front entrance.
Clara fought to stay on her feet.
Officer Grant opened the door.
Rain swept across the marble floor.
Dominic pushed the papers against her chest one last time.
“You have nowhere to go.”
“I have my mother.”
Dominic laughed.
“Your mother couldn’t protect your father.”
Clara stared at him.
“What did you say?”
Dominic realized he had gone too far.
He seized her arm.
Clara bit his hand.
He released her with a shout.
She ran.
Barefoot and seven months pregnant, she crossed the courtyard in heavy rain while Grant moved to follow.
Chief Pike stopped him.
“Let her go.”
Dominic turned on him.
“Why?”
“Because she’ll go to Victoria. We can collect her there and call it a pregnancy-related breakdown.”
Dominic looked toward the gate.
Then he smiled.
“Every cop in town answers to us.”
Clara reached the road.
The estate was nearly five miles from Victoria’s house.
She walked, stumbled, and walked again.
Twice, patrol cars passed without stopping.
One officer slowed down, recognized her, then accelerated.
Clara understood Dominic had told the truth.
No local badge would save her.
She found an emergency recorder inside her torn purse and activated it.
By the time Victoria’s lights appeared through the rain, Clara could no longer feel her feet.
She reached the porch and pounded on the door.
May you like
Behind her, distant headlights turned onto the road.
👉 Clara had escaped Dominic’s mansion, but the men who owned the town were already coming to take her back.
