Page 33

Emma

M ason and Ty are still giving their statements hours later when Bess gets the news on her comms.

“We’ve got him. Victor Kane is in our custody.”

My heart soars and Jax hugs me murmuring in my ear, “They got him.”

“Is Max okay?” I ask eagerly, praying this nightmare is finally over.

“And the boy? Do you have the boy?” Bess says into the comms.

There’s an agonizingly long pause before the reply comes through.

“Negative. There are no kids here.”

And just like that, the fragile bloom of hope shatters.

“What does he mean? Max is there! He has to be!” I say frantically as I jump up from my chair.

“Are you certain? We have reason to believe Kane kidnapped six-year-old Max Miller sometime in the early hours of this morning,” Bess reaffirms.

“Positive. He’s not here. We have teams searching all of Kane’s known haunts. If the kid’s there, we’ll let you know. We’re taking Kane in for questioning now, we’ll be sure to push him on that first,” the disembodied voice confirms.

It does little to assuage the dread that washes over me. If Max isn’t with Kane, where is he?

Is my little boy already gone? But why would that monster have harmed him? What would he possibly have to gain if he killed him? If he was after the money, he would need him alive. I try to hold onto this hope. That he’s being held somewhere safe and secure, and that Kane will reveal the location under interrogation.

“Don’t worry Emma, we’ve got the best interrogators in the country about to interview Kane. They’ll crack him and we’ll find Max,” Bess promises but she doesn’t meet my eyes, and I can tell she doesn’t know if we’ll find my little boy.

I start to hyperventilate as I become overwhelmed by everything that’s happened. Things keep going from bad to worse.

“Emma, just breathe,” Jax says soothingly.

“I can’t!” I pant getting more agitated.

“It’s just a panic attack, you’ll be okay,” he assures me.

But I know I won’t.

“Jacob’s in the hospital in a coma he might not wake up from, and my little boy is gone. I can’t lose them both. I can’t lose my baby. I’ll die without him,” I cry as Jax rocks me in his arms.

But still, my breath won’t come, and the terror isn’t abating.

Suddenly, the room feels stifling and claustrophobic.

“I need to get out of here,” I say, jumping to my feet.

“And go where? Emma…” Jax says but I ignore him already looking for the exit.

He follows behind me. “Emma wait, slow down.”

“Jax I just need some fresh air,” I respond, not looking back at him as I determinedly continue my search.

Finally, I find the exit and I bend over double. Vomit splatters onto the ground, bile from my empty stomach as I take huge choking breaths gasping for air. I feel a warm hand on my back as Jax rubs it gently.

When I finally catch my breath and the feeling of nausea passes, I straighten up shakily.

“Better?” Jax asks.

“No… I’m not sure it ever will be.”

“Don’t say that… Emma it—”

“Please, Jax, I know you’re trying to help. But just don’t,” I say, interrupting him.

He nods, remaining silent, but I can’t even let myself appreciate his kindness and how he respects my choices. I’m too consumed.

“Jax, please… can you go back inside? I just need some time alone to think.”

He hesitates so I continue, “Please. I promise I won’t go anywhere, maybe just to sit on a bench in the park over there,” I say pointing. “I just need to be alone for a moment.”

He studies me and I can tell he’s battling with what he wants to do and respecting my wishes. If it was Mason here, I’m sure he’d refuse. But Jax is different and after a moment of internal struggle, he nods.

“Okay, but call me if you need anything at all. If you’re not back inside in ten minutes, I’m coming back. Okay?” he says his green eyes studying my face.

“Fifteen. I’ll come back inside in fifteen minutes.”

“Alright. Everything will be okay, I promise,” he says kissing me gently on the lips before going back inside with one final lingering look back.

I walk over to the park, feeling numb and lost, allowing the sounds of the world going on around me to come in. It seems insane that people are going about their daily lives as if nothing’s changed when my entire reason for living is crumbling around me.

The sound of my phone pings, and I immediately pull it from my purse, praying for a dot of light in the darkest day.

Max is safe. Come alone. One hour.

This is your only chance. If you tell anyone or don’t come alone, you’ll never see your son again.

The text is from an unknown number.

A location pin follows. It’s almost forty-five minutes away.

I get up and sprint over to the parking lot, scrambling in my bag for the keys, feeling grateful that Jax put them in my purse. If I had to ask for them, he’d never let me go alone and I can’t risk not following the kidnapper’s orders. Although I hurriedly send him a text telling him I’m going to the hospital to see Jacob and to keep me updated on the interrogation. I hope he’ll buy my lie. As guilty as I feel for telling it, I need to buy myself more time. If Jax finds me gone in ten minutes and the guys somehow catch up to me before I have Max back safely the kidnapper might follow through on their threat.

As I get in the car and turn the ignition, a thought occurs to me. In any movie I’ve watched about kidnapping, you have to ask for proof of life. I hate to even entertain the idea that Max is already gone, and this is a plan to lure me there to kill me too, but I have to get confirmation that Max is safe.

How do I know you really have him? I need proof that he’s unharmed. I frantically text back with shaking hands.

The phone rings and I answer it immediately, “Hello? Who is this?” I ask hoping I can somehow reason with the kidnapper.

“Mommy,” I hear Max’s confused and frightened voice.

“Maxi! It’s ok Mommy’s coming. Can you—”

But before I can say anything else the phone is hung up. I try calling back right away but it just goes to voicemail.

With no time to waste, I drive away.

I’m the only person who can help my boy now. I will do whatever it takes to save him.