Page 88 of The Widower
“We got a call about a vandalism report,” he explained. “When we arrived, the house was already empty.”
I barely heard him. My feet moved on their own as I walked past him and into the house.
The moment I stepped inside and saw everything, I broke down.
I couldn’t believe it. Everything was shattered, thrown, smashed, painted over. The sofa was slashed, tables splintered…
I stumbled down the hall toward our bedrooms, not even thinking clearly. Every bed was broken. Mirrors shattered. Clothes torn, some burned…
My knees gave out, and I collapsed on the floor.My whole world was falling apart right in front of my eyes.
COLIN ADAMS
There were two missed calls on my phone, and the moment I saw the number, my stomach dropped. Tito had called me—and that was never a good sign. I’d been very clear when I hired him: calling my personal phone was for emergencies only.
“Tito, what happened?”
“Boss… Isabelle’s house. It’s been destroyed.”
“What?!”
“When I dropped her and Hanna off, we saw the place was wrecked on the outside, and inside… everything’s broken, torn, or burned. I thought I should call you because Isabelle… she’s really shaken, and her mother hasn’t come home yet. I’m sorry if I shouldn’t have called your cell.”
“No, you did the right thing. I’m on my way now.Thank you, Tito.”
Hanna was with Tito, crying uncontrollably, while Isabelle sat on the curb talking to one of the officers—also in tears.
I went to Hanna first.I couldn’t interrupt Isabelle right then.
“Hey, sweetheart.”
The second she saw me, she ran into my arms and broke down even harder.It tore me apart to see her like that, and I had no idea what to do.
With one quick glance, I could see Isabelle’s house was a mess—part of the roof caved in, the door cracked and hanging open.Someone had even thrown a bucket of paint across the front. It was total chaos.
“Tito, did you find out anything?”
“No. But it looks worse inside. A lot of stuff’s been burned, furniture smashed and tossed around, clothes ripped to shreds. Isabelle’s devastated.”
Who the hell would do something like this to them—and why?
Mrs. Elisa had just arrived, looking as shocked as I was—maybe even more. After a few minutes, Isabelle finished talking to the officers and went to her mother. I gave them space and stayed with Hanna, who was still sobbing and visibly heartbroken.
“Lulu’s ripped, and they tore Loren’s head off,” she said between hiccups.
I figured they were her dolls.
“It’s okay, my angel.” I lifted her into my arms and walked back and forth, trying to make sense of what the hell had happened here.
A little while later, Isabelle walked toward us, visibly shaken.
“Mom, can you stay with Hanna for a bit?”
She came up to me, but before she could say anything, the tears came back. She fell apart in my arms, sobbing against my chest.It was too much for her to handle.
“I… I lost everything.Everything, Colin.” Her face pressed against me, her voice muffled.
I can’t even describe what I felt hearing her say something like that. I’ve never been through it myself, but losing everything you worked so hard to build—there’s hardly anything worse.
