Chapter 2 - TAKE THE ROOF OFF FOR ME
Jenna ran through the rain.
“Baby!”
Mason turned.
His face collapsed.
She dropped to her knees and pulled him into her arms.
His hoodie was soaked through.
Shoes full of water.
Hands cold.
“Who did this to you?”
Mason pointed toward the house.
The door opened.
Eric stood there holding a whiskey glass.
Dry.
Comfortable.
Smug.
“He needed discipline.”
Jenna stared.
“What?”
“He kept going into my room.”
Mason shook his head violently.
“I didn’t!”
Eric ignored him.
“He needs to learn boundaries.”
“He’s eight!”
Linda appeared behind Eric.
Elegant cardigan.
Dry hair.
Cold expression.
“Stop babying that brat.”
Jenna looked at her mother.
For one second, the rain sounded distant.
“Brat?”
Linda crossed her arms.
“He was disrespectful.”
Mason buried his face against Jenna’s shoulder.
Eric pointed toward the driveway.
“Take him and get lost.”
Jenna stood.
Every instinct told her to scream.
Instead, something colder arrived.
She looked up at the house.
At the temporary blue tarp still covering the rear slope.
At the scaffolding stacked beside the garage.
At the renovation permit posted inside the front window.
Then she looked at Eric.
“Fine.”
His smile widened.
Jenna carried Mason to the SUV.
Buckled him in.
Turned the heat high.
Wrapped him in the emergency blanket she kept in the trunk.
Then she pulled out her phone.
Called Ray Donnelly.
Owner of Donnelly Roofing.
The contractor working under Jenna’s signed repair agreement.
He answered:
“Jenna?”
“Ray, the tear-off is still scheduled for tomorrow?”
“Rear section, yes.”
“Move it up.”
A pause.
“To tonight?”
“The weather’s stopping in an hour. You already have the trust attorney’s written access authorization for emergency weatherproofing, right?”
“Yes.”
“Good.”
Jenna looked through the rain at Eric standing on the porch.
“Take the roof off for me.”
Eric’s smile disappeared.
Linda frowned.
“What is she doing?”
Jenna hung up.
This was not revenge demolition.
The rear roof section had already been condemned for structural replacement.
The crew had permission to remove it once weather cleared and immediately install temporary weatherproof covering before the next stage.
Eric had delayed access for days because he wanted “privacy.”
That ended now.
Then Jenna called one more person.
The trust attorney.
Daniel Price.
“Daniel, I need you to send me the repair agreement and occupancy restrictions again.”
“Why?”
“My mother and brother just locked Mason outside in a storm.”
Silence.
Then:
“Is he safe?”
“Yes.”
“Do you want police?”
“Maybe. First I want the paperwork.”
Daniel paused.
“Jenna, there is something else you should know.”
Her stomach tightened.
“What?”
“Eric tried to refinance the house last week.”
She went still.
“He can’t.”
“I know.”
“Then how?”
Daniel answered:
“He used a document with Linda’s signature.”
Jenna looked toward the porch.
Linda was now speaking urgently to Eric.
“And?”
May you like
Daniel said:
“He also used yours.”
