Chapter 5: The Person Watching My Daughter

I couldn’t breathe.

The photo was blurry.

Dark.

Taken from a distance.

But I knew exactly what I was looking at.

Emma’s crib.

My daughter sleeping.

Inside my home.

Someone had been there.

Someone had watched her.

“Claire?””

James saw my face change.

“What happened?””

I handed him the phone.

The second he saw the picture, his entire expression changed.

The calm, patient man I knew disappeared.

A soldier replaced him.

“When was this taken?””

I looked at the screen.

“There’s no timestamp.””

James checked.

“Who sent it?””

“Unknown number.””

He immediately grabbed his phone.

“I’m calling the police.””

My father stood.

“Wait.””

James looked at him.

“Wait?””

“Let me explain.””

James stepped closer.

“No. Someone took a picture of my child inside my house.””

His voice was low.

“Your explanations can wait.””

My mother covered her mouth.

“Oh my God.””

Lauren looked terrified.

“I didn’t do this.””

I turned toward her.

“You understand why I can’t just believe you.””

She nodded.

“I know.””

For once, she didn’t argue.

She didn’t defend herself.

She just looked broken.

The police arrived forty minutes later.

The living room that had been filled with Christmas laughter the night before became a place of questions.

An officer named Detective Harris sat across from us.

“Has anyone besides family had access to your home?””

I shook my head.

“No.””

“Friends? Neighbors? Repair workers?””

“No.””

He looked at James.

“Military background?””

James nodded.

“Yes.””

“Anyone who might have a reason to target you?””

James was quiet.

That answer bothered me.

I noticed.

“James?””

He looked at me.

“There’s something I need to tell you.””

My stomach tightened.

“What?””

“While I was overseas, I received several strange emails.””

I stared at him.

“What kind of emails?””

“Someone claiming they knew about your adoption.””

The room became silent.

“You never told me that.””

“I thought they were trying to distract me.””

“Who sent them?””

“I don’t know.””

Detective Harris leaned forward.

“Do you still have them?””

“Yes.””

James pulled out his phone.

He opened the messages.

The first one was from eight months ago.

Before Emma was born.

The subject line read:

*YOU DON’T KNOW WHO YOUR WIFE REALLY IS.*

My hands went cold.

I read the message.

Captain Walker,

You think you’re protecting your family. You don’t know the truth about Claire. Ask her where she came from.

I looked at James.

“You got this before Emma was born?””

He nodded.

“Claire, I thought someone was trying to manipulate me.””

“Why didn’t you tell me?””

“Because I knew you.””

His voice softened.

“I knew you would worry. And I was coming home.””

I looked away.

Everyone had secrets.

Everyone had decided what I could handle.

Detective Harris continued scrolling.

“There are more.””

The second message.

The third.

The fourth.

Then the final one.

It was sent two days before James returned home.

I read it.

And my heart stopped.

*She will take back what belongs to her.*

Lauren whispered, “No.””

Everyone looked at her.

She looked terrified.

“I know that phrase.””

My father frowned.

“Lauren?””

She shook her head.

“I’ve heard it before.””

“From who?”” I asked.

Her face lost all color.

“From someone who contacted me after Emma was born.””

James stood.

“Who?””

Lauren looked at me.

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