“Maybe,” he said. “But I’d regret forever giving you a second chance to hurt my child.”

From the living room, Mia’s voice floated down the hall. “Daddy? Who’s out there?”

Patricia’s eyes snapped toward the sound, something hungry in them.

I stepped into the hallway and put my body between her and the sightline.

Daniel’s voice went to steel. “Get off my property, Patricia, or dispatch is here in three minutes.”

She held her son’s eyes for a long moment, and I watched it finally settle in her: the spell was broken.