Chapter 10 - EMILY’S CHOICE
Emily stared at the photograph until the letters blurred.
Rachel was twenty-four and finishing nursing school. She worked late shifts at the diner and walked to the bus stop after closing. Emily called her immediately.
Rachel answered, confused. “I’m fine. Why?”
“Go back inside. Lock the door and tell your manager someone may be following you.”
“Emily, what’s going on?”
“I’ll explain soon. Stay with other people.”
Emily showed Richard and Detective Ortiz the text. Ortiz sent patrol officers to the diner and asked Rachel to remain there until they arrived.
“You did the right thing,” Ortiz told Emily.
Emily nodded, though her hands would not stop shaking.
An hour later, officers confirmed Rachel was safe. They had also obtained surveillance video showing Adrian’s car passing the diner twice. He had wanted Emily frightened enough to bring him the drive.
It nearly worked.
“I keep thinking about how close he was to her,” Emily said after the call ended.
Richard sat across from her in the hotel’s quiet breakfast room. “I’m sorry my family brought this to your door.”
“You didn’t send the text,” she replied. “But you knew I was worried about Victoria. I told you twice.”
Richard looked down. “I remember.”
The first time had been after Victoria called Noah “needy” for asking to be tucked in. The second came when Emily found a brochure for an overseas school beside the boys’ passports.
Richard had brushed off both concerns.
“I thought you disliked her because she was going to marry me,” he said.
Emily gave him a tired look. “Why would I care who you married? I cared how she treated the boys.”
He had no defense.
By morning, Ortiz had enough to seek charges connected to the forged documents and the attempt to take the children without the required consent. Victoria remained under investigation. Adrian was still missing.
Priya finished securing Richard’s accounts and found one last item in his calendar: a private appointment Victoria had created for Monday morning, labeled “family departure.” A charter flight had been booked under Adrian’s company.
The boys had been scheduled to leave before Richard woke for work.
Richard read the booking details twice.
Then Ortiz called.
“We found Adrian’s car at a private airfield,” she said. “The flight crew says he’s there now.”
Richard stood.
May you like
Ortiz’s voice sharpened. “Stay at the hotel. My officers are moving in.”
The call ended before she could say more.
