Page 34 of Her Final Hours (High Peaks Murder, Mystery and Crime Thrillers #3)

M orning came, and with it, the sound of the phone ringing. Noah, disoriented from a restless night, reached over and picked it up, his mind still flooded with the previous night’s events. Almost immediately, his heart started pounding faster as he heard the voice on the other end.

“Did you know you roll a lot when you sleep?” the voice said, his chilling tone laced with familiarity. Noah rolled out of bed, wiping his tired eyes, trying to collect himself. “Have you thought about our conversation last night?” the voice asked.

Noah took a deep breath, his mind racing with the weight of the situation.

“There are some things that will be expected today,” he replied, his voice filled with apprehension.

“I’m expected to take her to the psychologist’s home.

Those I work for will expect me to follow up on the leads from yesterday.

Any diversion from that, and they will know something is wrong. ”

“Hmm,” the abductor mused, sensing Noah’s resistance.

“Now I can….”

“Stop! Just stop,” the man said in a firm tone. “I hear you are saying what people close to you might expect, but I don’t hear you saying what you know is expected by me. Are their demands more important than mine?”

“No. I…”

“Perhaps you don’t understand the gravity of the situation. Maybe I should make it clearer.”

Noah’s panic surged as he realized what that could mean. He quickly interrupted, desperate to buy some time. “Wait. I’m not saying I can’t do it. I need time to think this out,” he pleaded.

“Okay. You have… five minutes,” the man said sternly before abruptly hanging up.

“Hold on…” Noah tried to protest, but the line was already dead. “Shit!” He gripped the phone tightly, his knuckles turning white, before leaving the phone on the bed and hurrying into the bathroom.

Leaning against the wall, Noah took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself.

He splashed his face with cold water from the sink, hoping the shock would help clear his thoughts.

He needed to alert Callie and McKenzie, but as he stared into the mirror, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched.

Every second ticking over intensified his sense of urgency.

Noah desperately wanted to regain control of the situation, to find a way to appease his daughter’s captors while ensuring her safety and their capture.

Just as the pressure became almost unbearable, the phone rang once again.

Noah dashed back into his room and picked it up, his voice laced with tension. “Hello?”

The man’s voice came through the receiver, cold and unyielding “Time’s up. What’s it going to be?” he demanded

Noah grimaced. “I’ll make it happen,” he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil .

“Good. I want you to know I don’t want to do this.

It’s not personal. Hell, in another lifetime, you and I could probably be friends.

We’re a lot more alike than you think. Now, listen…

carefully. Here’s what you’re going to do,” the abductor began, outlining the precise instructions.

“Take the cell phone with you. Take your Bronco. Don’t go anywhere else or talk to anyone else.

I am listening. I am watching. Go and get the girl and bring her to the location that I will text to you on that phone, then—”

“I can’t.’

“What did you say?” the man replied slowly.

“There are two state troopers parked outside where she is who are expecting to follow me this morning to the farm of the doctor.”

The call went dead.

Panic gripped him. Had he said the wrong thing? Would he kill Mia? Noah paced, fear gripping him and threatening to suffocate him.

Minutes rolled over.

Two, three. Almost five minutes passed before the phone rang again.

“Drop her off at Dr. Blake’s. Then go to work and continue as if nothing has happened, then wait for my call.”

“Hold on, what about my daughter?”

“I will be in contact today with the location of where you can pick up the lovely Mia, alive and unharmed. It’s that easy.”

“No, that’s not how this works—”

“Mr. Sutherland. You have already tested my patience. Don’t try it again.”

Silence stretched between them for a few seconds. “Wait! I need…”

Before he finished, the call disconnected.

The weight of the conversation and the looming danger settled heavily on his shoulders.

As he tried to process it all, his eyes caught sight of Gretchen, who had awakened and appeared at the far end of the corridor.

Her eyes widened with concern as she took in the distress etched on his face.

“Noah?” she asked, her voice full of worry.

She hurried towards him, her footsteps echoing through the silence.

Noah turned to face her, his mind racing with the unimaginable situation.

He knew the odds of dropping off the girl and getting a call with Mia alive were slim to none.

He wasn’t a fool. And yet any deviation from that could mean her death. He had no choice.

“We’ll get her back, won’t we?”

He nodded, but in all honesty, he wasn’t sure. It made no sense. Why would he want Jane Doe dropped off at the house? He had yet to explain that the troopers would remain at the doctor’s home.

“What do you need me to do?” Gretchen asked.

Gratitude washed over him, knowing he could count on her as his partner in this harrowing ordeal.

He explained his need for her to maintain appearances while he did what he had to do that day.

“Keep up the facade that everything is normal. I’m just handling the case and doing my job.

Look after Ethan,” he said. “The bathroom’s free,” he added.

“Just one thing I should show you about the shower.” He took her in and turned it to the highest heat setting.

Soon the room filled with steam. “It’s a bit finicky.

You can also use the radio,” he said, switching on a small one by the window.

Noah turned up the volume loud enough to drown out what he would say next.

Noah leaned in and whispered in her ear.

“There’s a Glock 22 in the closet of my room.

If this man shows up here, you know how to use it. ”

He headed out, dressed, and went down for breakfast.

Later, his stomach churned as he tore at burnt toast, watching the clock, knowing he couldn’t get there too early.

Hoping to distract himself momentarily, he reached for the remote and turned on the television, seeking an update on the outside world.

The screen flickered to life, and a reporter appeared, standing against a backdrop of swirling snow.

“Good morning, everyone. We are currently tracking a major winter storm hammering the entire east coast.” The reporter’s voice projected over the howling wind. Behind her, snowflakes danced and blurred the visibility of the landscape.

Noah leaned in closer, his attention captured by the imminent weather conditions that threatened to complicate an already dire situation. The reporter continued, her words carrying a sense of caution.

“The temperature has plummeted to record lows, and we’re expecting heavy snowfall throughout the day with accumulations ranging from 12 to 18 inches in the affected areas.

” Her gloved hands gestured to an imaginary map of the east coast. “Authorities are urging residents to stay home unless it’s necessary.

Travel conditions are hazardous, and with the intensity of this storm, power outages are expected. ”

Outages?

As if on cue, the camera panned to reveal a street in High Peaks lined with snow-covered trees and darkened houses. A few flickering streetlights fought against the encroaching gray. Fallen branches littered the ground, some tangled up in power lines, evidence of the storm’s destructive power.

“We’re already receiving reports of outages in some parts of the Adirondacks.

” The reporter continued, her tone filled with urgency.

“Crews are working tirelessly to restore electricity, but with the storm’s severity, some might be waiting several days.

Let’s hope you all have generators. If not, emergency shelters are offered at city halls and the main high schools. ”

Noah’s heart sank as he realized the potential consequence of the snowstorm.

The abductor had explicitly instructed him to follow the demands without unnecessary diversion, detours, or risk.

Now, with the storm wreaking havoc and causing power outages, the situation could become even more precarious.

The reporter’s voice echoed as she concluded her report, her message clear. “For everyone’s safety, staying indoors, keeping warm, and conserving energy is crucial. If you haven’t had the chance to stock up on essential supplies, seek out one of the emergency shelters.”

As he listened, Ethan appeared, pawing at his eyes.

“Is Mia back yet?” he asked.

“Not yet, son. Soon.”

He took a seat at the breakfast bar and poured himself some cereal. Noah switched off the television, the gravity of the situation bearing down on him. “Gretchen will be here all day. I will see you later this evening.” Noah scooped up his jacket.

“Dad.”

“Yeah?”

“I’m sorry.”

“For what?”

Ethan shrugged with tears in his eyes. Noah dropped his bag and hugged him just as Gretchen joined them. Seeing his son’s reaction fueled his fire to bring Mia back alive.