Chapter 5
The deafening roar of football commentary filled the Henderson family living room.
Jake sprawled on that black leather sofa, gripping his third Budweiser, eyes glazed as he stared at the TV screen.
Yesterday's honor ceremony had left him euphoric, basking in the afterglow of his heroic spotlight.
Emily entered carrying a plate of chips, her face adorned with the perfect wife's smile. She had deliberately chosen this moment—when Jake was most relaxed, most conceited, least guarded.
"Honey, you were absolutely magnificent today." Emily settled gently beside Jake, "The whole town is so proud of you."
Jake smugly took a long swig of beer: "Of course I was. I'm this town's hero."
Emily's hand caressed Jake's shoulder, her voice soft as poisoned honey: "Your mother would be so proud of today's honor too. If she could see her son become a true hero..."
The living room temperature seemed to plummet ten degrees. Jake's eyes transformed instantly from drunken haze to sharp, furious, murderous clarity.
"What did you say?" Jake's voice rumbled low like a demon crawling from hell.
Emily blinked innocently: "I just thought... as a mother, she should be proud. You never talk about your family, and I thought she'd want to know you became a hero..."
"I warned you never to mention her!" Jake shot to his feet, the beer bottle trembling in his grip, foam splashing everywhere.
Emily continued pouring fuel on the fire, her voice still sweet: "I just think every mother should be proud of such a son. If she were still alive and could see today's ceremony, she'd surely..."
"Shut up! You don't know anything!" Jake exploded completely.
He grabbed Emily's throat, slamming her back against the sofa. The beer bottle crashed to the floor with a sharp, shattering sound.
"She's dead! Dead! Do you hear me?!" Jake's face flushed crimson, saliva spraying Emily's face, "Never mention her again!"
Emily deliberately struggled, ensuring the surveillance camera captured Jake's violence clearly. Her voice became hoarse from his grip: "Jake... I... I just wanted to understand you..."
"Understand? What do you want to understand?" Jake released his grip but remained furious, pacing the living room like an enraged beast.
Chairs were kicked over; Emily curled in the sofa corner, but her eyes gleamed with satisfaction in the camera's blind spot.
"You want to know how she abandoned me?" Jake began his unhinged rant, "She said I'd never succeed! Said I was worthless just like my drunk father! Then she ran off with that damn butcher! Left me all alone!"
Emily lifted her head from the floor, deliberately using a trembling voice: "Jake... she was wrong, look at you now..."
"All women are the same!" Jake's voice dripped with hatred, "They all abandon men! They're all whores! She left twelve-year-old me and eloped with that blood-covered butcher!"
Now Emily understood—all of Jake's violence stemmed from this abandonment trauma; he feared being left, so he controlled every woman.
"Mom told me I'd never amount to anything, that I was a complete failure." Jake's voice choked like a wounded child, "Then she walked away without looking back."
Emily deliberately spoke loudly, ensuring the surveillance recorded: "Jake, please don't hit me! I didn't do anything wrong! I just want to be a good wife!"
Jake suddenly realized he was within the camera's range. His face went instantly pale, panic-stricken as he looked toward the corner ceiling camera.
"Damn... these damn cameras..."
Emily asked with feigned innocence: "Didn't you say the surveillance was to protect me?"
Jake approached Emily threateningly: "If you dare use these recordings against me..."
"I won't, Jake." Emily immediately showed fear, "I would never betray you."
But she thought coldly: "These recordings will be your death warrant."
2 PM, County Psychiatric Hospital.
The white building looked particularly oppressive under gray clouds, prison-like and suffocating. Sarah Williams presented forged visitor credentials and successfully met with Lisa Martinez, who had been "voluntarily" committed.
The meeting room contained only a metal table and two chairs. Lisa looked haggard but clear-eyed, nothing like a psychiatric patient.
"Sarah, I've been waiting for someone to save me." Lisa whispered, constantly glancing toward the door, "I'm not crazy, I'm just scared."
Sarah gripped Lisa's cold hands: "I know. We're gathering evidence against him."
Lisa pulled a small recording device from her hospital gown pocket: "I have recordings... he threatened to hurt my brother, to plant drugs in his backpack and get him expelled from school."
Sarah took the device, rage burning in her heart: "Lisa, you're brave. This recording could save other women's lives."
"He said if I dared report him, he'd make my brother spend the rest of his life in juvenile detention." Lisa's voice trembled, "So I signed those papers saying I was mentally ill."
Sarah clutched the recording device tightly: "I promise, he'll pay for this."
Evening, Henderson house study.
Emily sat alone at Jake's desk, walls lined with his various honors—medals of valor, commendations, citizens' appreciation awards.
She opened her notebook and began analyzing Jake's psychological patterns:
"He became a cop to prove his mother wrong, to prove he 'succeeded.'" Emily murmured while thinking, "All these honors are to prove something to a woman who already abandoned him."
She looked at those gleaming certificates on the wall, sneering: "But the more external validation needed, the more it proves inner fear. What he fears most hearing is 'you're a failure'... that's my weapon."
Emily continued analyzing: "He chose me because I'm like his mother—both traumatized women, easy to control. He thinks controlling women proves he's not a failure, but it's exactly the opposite."
She closed the notebook, eyes blazing with vengeance: "Wednesday, I'll use your mother's words to completely destroy your psychological defenses."
8 PM, Millfield Coffee Shop.
At a corner table, Emily and Sarah conducted their final conspiracy. Light rain drizzled outside, adding mystery to this secret meeting.
Sarah played Lisa's recording, Jake's threats clearly audible: "If you dare speak up, I'll ruin your brother's life completely. One phone call, and drugs will appear in his locker."
"This recording is devastating." Sarah said angrily, "He threatened a 19-year-old girl's brother—he's a demon."
Emily nodded: "Now I know his weakness. What he fears most isn't death, but being proven right—that his mother was right, that he'll always be a failure."
Sarah produced a document: "I'm prepared to give some evidence to the state prosecutor in advance. Even if our plan fails, the truth will come out."
Emily took a deep breath: "Sarah, once we start, there's no turning back. Are you sure about this?"
Sarah's eyes were resolute: "Emily, if we don't stop him, there'll be more Lisas, more Jennifers... I can't let this continue."
"Wednesday, after Jake's night shift ends." Emily gripped Sarah's hand, "We'll exploit his psychological weakness and intoxicated state. Then, everything will end."