“After putting them to bed, I was finishing their laundry in the hallway. Everything seemed normal. I heard the nursery door creak. I assumed it was one of the kids half awake. I walked back toward it and saw a person inside. He was wearing a hood. I could not see his face. He stood right beside the crib as if he had been watching them for a long time.”
Preston’s hands curled into fists.
“When he noticed me, he moved so quickly it made me freeze. He slipped out of the window before I could scream. The alarm did not go off. I have no idea how he bypassed the security system. I did not chase him. My first thought was to grab the children and get them somewhere I could reach an exit if I needed to run. So I carried them here and waited. I have been praying that someone would walk in.”
Preston tried to stand, but his legs wobbled. He sat back down and pressed his palm against his forehead. For a moment, the room blurred. He had spent billions developing properties across the country, yet he had failed to protect the only two beings he valued more than wealth.
Before he could speak, another voice called from near the staircase.
“Sir. Mr. Aldridge. We found something.”