Chapter 3 - The Uniform of Justice
Preston strode to the door, a smirk of arrogance still plastered on his face. He swung the door wide, ready to dismiss whoever dared disturb his domain.
"What do you want?" Preston barked.
I struggled to my feet, bracing myself against the console table. My eyes focused on the threshold. Standing there was my father, Thomas Hart. But he wasn't wearing his flannel or his dusty boots. He was dressed in a full-dress uniform, the insignia of a high-ranking Police Chief glinting under the foyer lights. He was flanked by three uniformed officers, their expressions grim and resolute.
The air in the foyer changed instantly. The arrogance that had fueled Preston a moment ago evaporated, replaced by a frantic, scrambling confusion.
"Chief?" Preston stammered, his posture collapsing. "I... I think there's been a mistake."
My father didn't look at Preston. His eyes found mine, and they were filled with a raw, agonizing love. He looked at my split lip, the tear in my dress, the shattered glass near the cabinet. The transformation in his eyes—from a doting father to a man who had dedicated his life to the pursuit of justice—was terrifyingly beautiful.
"Step aside, Mr. Vale," my father said. His voice wasn't loud, but it carried the weight of a gavel. "You are under arrest for domestic assault, terroristic threats, and the illegal confinement of a citizen."
Preston tried to puff his chest, the millionaire veneer attempting to reassert itself. "You can't do this. I have lawyers. I have friends in the city government—"
"You have rights," my father interrupted, stepping into the house. "And you are about to find out how they work."
I walked toward my father, my legs trembling. When he reached me, he didn't just embrace me; he shielded me, his large hand resting firmly on the back of my neck. He was the anchor I had been denying myself for years.
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"I'm sorry, Emmy," he whispered into my hair. "I should have seen it. I should have come sooner."
"You're here now," I managed to say, the tears finally flowing.
