Chapter 2: The Latch on the Outside
Warren's hands were shaking so hard he nearly ran a red light.
He called Irene.
She picked up on the first ring.
"How long?" he said.
"How long has this been happening?"
Irene was quiet for a moment.
Then — "Mr.
Warren…
I should have told you sooner.
I'm so sorry."
That silence told him everything.
He pressed harder on the accelerator.
When he burst through the front door, Monique was in the kitchen, calm as ever, pouring herself a glass of wine.
She looked up and smiled.
"You're home early."
Warren couldn't speak.
He just held up his phone.
Her smile didn't disappear all at once.
It faded — slowly — as she realized what she was looking at.
"That's not what it looks like," she said.
"Then tell me what it looks like, Monique."
She set down the glass.
"He's a difficult child.
You don't see what I deal with every day while you're at work."
Warren stepped closer.
"Where is he?"
"In his room.
He's fine."
But when Warren reached the hallway — Elliot's door was locked from the outside.
There was a small latch.
Installed recently.
Warren hadn't put it there.
He stood staring at it, and something cold moved through him.
Because Elliot couldn't lock that door himself.
Someone had made sure he couldn't get out.
What Warren found on the other side of that door broke him completely.
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