Panic Strikes

While on the phone with the dispatcher, she urged me to stay calm and avoid confrontation.

My thoughts raced—was Daniela in danger, betraying my son,

or hiding something else? Minutes crawled by until the doorbell rang.

I let the officers in and quickly explained. Their faces grew serious.

The Confrontation

They knocked firmly on the bathroom door.

“Police! Is anyone in there?” Silence followed except for dripping water.

After a tense pause,

the lock clicked. Daniela stepped out, wrapped in a towel, wide-eyed.

The bathroom looked ordinary—no intruders, just the usual setup.

The Explanation

An officer asked her to explain. Daniela seemed confused until I admitted, trembling,

“I heard a man’s voice, and there was a strange scent.”

She sighed and confessed: her brother Marco was struggling, and she had let him use the bathroom,

speaking to him through the door for comfort.

Relief and Reflection

The officers confirmed no threat and left with advice on communication.

Embarrassed, I apologized. Daniela reassured me, reminding me that we were family.