Chapter 5 - The Fear in Gracie’s Silence
Sawyer’s anger disappeared beneath something colder.
He had seen Gracie frightened before.
Thunderstorms scared her.
Needles frightened her.
But she had never looked at her own mother like this.
“Gracie,” he said gently, “you are not in trouble.”
Her lips shook.
Carolina moved toward the car.
“She’s exhausted. Stop interrogating her.”
Sawyer shut the door between them.
Carolina recoiled as the glass sealed her outside.
He walked around the vehicle and faced her.
“You will not speak to her until a doctor examines her.”
“I’m her mother.”
“And I’m her father.”
Bonnie stepped between them.
“Carolina, go inside.”
Carolina stared at her.
“You’re taking his side?”
“I’m taking Gracie’s side.”
The words struck harder than a slap.
Carolina’s expression twisted.
“You don’t know what she’s been doing.”
“What has she been doing?” Bonnie asked.
Carolina lowered her voice.
“She has been turning Sawyer against me.”
Sawyer looked at her in disbelief.
“She’s eight.”
“She knows exactly how to manipulate him.”
Bonnie’s hand tightened around the flashlight.
“That is something adults say when they want permission to hurt a child.”
Carolina went silent.
Sawyer unlocked his phone and called the nearest emergency department.
As he gave Gracie’s condition, his phone vibrated with an incoming message from the neighbor.
I HAVE VIDEO FROM TONIGHT. DO NOT LET HER DELETE THE PORCH FOOTAGE.
Sawyer looked toward the small security camera beneath his own porch roof.
Carolina followed his eyes.
May you like
Then she suddenly ran toward the front door.
👉 Sawyer realized she was not trying to stop him from leaving—she was racing to erase whatever her own camera had captured.
