J’ouvris la porte d’un seul mouvement.
« Maman », a-t-elle haleté, et le son de ce seul mot a brisé quelque chose en moi.
Une ecchymose sombre s’étendit sous son œil droit, sa lèvre fendue et tremblante. Mais c’étaient ses yeux qui m’écrasaient – sauvages et terrifiés, le même regard que j’avais vu sur les victimes trop de fois auparavant.
Je n’aurais jamais pensé que je le verrais sur le visage de ma fille.
“Leo… Il m’a fait mal », murmura-t-elle en s’effondrant dans mes bras. “Il a découvert sa liaison… Je lui ai demandé qui elle était… et lui… Sa
voix se brisa en sanglots. J’ai vu de profondes ecchymoses en forme de doigts autour de ses poignets.
Toutes les émotions – chagrin, fureur, peur – m’ont traversé, mais je l’ai enterrée. Deux décennies dans les forces de l’ordre m’avaient appris à séparer les sentiments des faits.
Et c’était, de toute évidence, un crime.
Une mère et un détective
J’ai guidé Anna à l’intérieur et j’ai verrouillé la porte. Ma main est allée directement vers mon téléphone.
En parcourant les contacts de la famille, je me suis arrêté à un nom enregistré sous le nom d’A.V. – Andrei Viktorovich, mon ancien collègue, maintenant capitaine de police de district.
Il me devait une faveur. Un gros.
“Captain Miller,” I said, voice steady. “It’s Katherine. I need help. It’s my daughter.”
Anna sat on the couch, trembling.
While I spoke, I opened the hallway drawer — the one I hadn’t touched in years — and pulled out my thin leather gloves.
Sliding them on felt like putting on armor. The mother stepped back. The investigator took over.
“Don’t worry, sweetheart,” I told her softly.
On the other end, Captain Miller promised, “We’ll handle this by the book.”
Good. That’s exactly what I wanted to hear.
This wasn’t about revenge. This was going to be an investigation — clean, legal, and airtight.
Leo Shuvalov, my charming son-in-law with the polished smile and cold eyes, had just assaulted the daughter of a former detective.
And that meant trouble — for him.
Evidence and Resolve
“Go to the bathroom,” I said, my tone shifting into the calm authority I used with victims. “We need to document every injury before you wash up. Then we’ll head to the ER for an official report.”
Anna hesitated. “I’m scared, Mom. He said if I ever left, he’d find me.”
“Let him try,” I said coldly, snapping a photo of her bruises. “I’ve met hundreds of bullies who thought they were untouchable. I’ve seen how their stories end. Yours will end with justice.”
While she cleaned up, my phone rang again.
“Kate? It’s Irina,” came a voice I recognized — Judge Thompson’s secretary. “Captain Miller called. I’ve prepared the paperwork. Bring Anna to the courthouse. The judge will sign an emergency protection order immediately.”
The system was already moving. The wheels of justice had begun to turn.
At the hospital, my old friend Dr. Evans — head of the trauma unit — examined Anna himself.
“Multiple bruises, different ages,” he said quietly. “This isn’t the first time. And she has elevated blood pressure — she should stay for monitoring.”
Anna shook her head. “He’ll find me. He always does.”
“Then you’ll stay with me,” I said firmly. “And I promise — he won’t get close.”
