Chapter 1: The Boy I Raised Was Gone
I Discovered My Daughter-in-Law Trapped Inside the Chicken Coop, Shivering as She Ate Dried Corn Straight from the Dirt.
"That Useless Fool Is Good for Absolutely Nothing," My Very Own Son Yelled.
I Refrained from Arguing with Him—I Pulled Her Out, Rushed Her to the Clinic, and Contacted an Attorney.
A Few Hours Later, a Medical Examination Exposed Something My Son Never Believed Would See the Light of Day.
"You worthless fool doesn't even deserve a seat at my dining table!"
Those were the first words I heard from my son after eight years of being apart.
My name is Margaret Collins.
I am sixty years of age, and I traveled back to Austin assuming the most difficult challenge would be confronting the memories of my late husband.
I was completely mistaken.
The most difficult part was locked inside a poultry pen in the backyard of our family property.
I returned from Portugal without informing a soul.
I wished to visit the ranch where we had brought up Brandon, my only child.
When the cab dropped me at the main entrance, something immediately seemed off: chipping paint, a withered garden, vacant animal enclosures, and not a single hired hand to be seen.
Then I heard a heavy slam.
I made my way around the structure and spotted Brandon standing right in front of the chicken coop.
He was dressed in a pricey button-down, pristine footwear, and an extravagant timepiece.
"I warned you to wrap up before nightfall," he hollered, k!cking the wooden door.
"Otherwise, you are spending the entire night in there."
A fragile female voice responded from inside.
"I am almost finished, Brandon."
"Who is in there?" I questioned.
Brandon spun around.
His astonishment swiftly morphed into a plastic grin.
"Mom...
what brings you here?"
"I asked you who is inside there."
"Emily.
She is tidying up.
She always leaves her chores half-done."
Emily was his spouse, the young woman I had met eight years prior when she was still enrolled in nursing school and chattered passionately about her relatives up in Denver.
I attempted to unlatch the door, yet Brandon moved to block my path.
"Do not cause a spectacle."
I pushed him aside and slid the lock back.
Emily was seated on the dusty earth, surrounded by scattered feathers and soggy poultry feed.
She was clothed in a ripped top, her hair was matted, and her skin was dotted with dark bru!ses.
In one hand, she clutched a small pile of dried corn kernels.
She was chewing them.
"Mrs.
Margaret..." she whispered.
She made an effort to stand, but her legs gave out beneath her.
I dropped to my knees beside her.
"How long have you been confined in this place?"
Emily glanced over at Brandon.
"I am alright."
Brandon chuckled.
"She is always blowing things out of proportion.
She adores acting like a martyr."
It was then I noticed a deep shadow circling her wrist, resembling the mark of a t!ed rope.
"You are leaving with me."
Emily started shaking.
"I cannot."
"Yes, you absolutely can."
Brandon seized my forearm.
"She is my wife.
Mind your own business."
I looked up at him, searching for the little boy I had raised.
He was utterly gone.
"Exactly because she is your wife, you ought to be keeping her safe."
I guided Emily into my vehicle.
As I drove away, Brandon slammed his fists on the glass.
"If you leave with her, you will destr0y this family!"
Twenty minutes later, at a modest eatery in the center of town, Emily consumed an entire bowl of soup.
When I asked her about the last time she had a proper meal, she dropped her gaze.
"Nearly two weeks back."
"And what about your folks?"
"Brandon claims they refuse to have anything to do with me anymore."
"When did you last speak with your mother?"
"Six years in the past."
I dialed a medical center and subsequently rang Mr.
Lawson, a legal professional I was acquainted with.
Hours later, Dr.
Parker recorded old injur!es, critical undernourishment, and two ribs that had mended incorrectly.
While Emily rested beneath a blanket, Brandon phoned me.
"Mom, swear to me you aren't doing what I think you are doing."
"I am doing exactly what I should have done many years ago."
The line went quiet.
Then he said something that caused my bl00d to freeze.
"If you file a report on this, Emily is going to lose everything as well."
I had no idea what I was about to uncover...
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What could Brandon possibly be hiding that would put Emily at risk too?
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