My husband left me alone with his “Paralyzed” son….

“Eli,” I said carefully, “tell me everything.”

He swallowed hard. “This morning, I heard him in the basement with Mr. Grady. They were talking about a leak. Mr. Grady said it would spread faster if the windows stayed shut. Dad said that was fine—because by dark, no one would be left.”

The blood drained from my face.

Then I heard it—a faint metallic click from somewhere below the floor.

Eli whispered, “He locked the gate… and turned off the phone booster.”