Page 104 of The Air He Breathes (Elements 1)

“I don’t know. I don’t know what the next step is, but we need to talk to Sam and get a few cops over to your place.”

“What? Why?”

“Tanner said something about cameras. I think he might have put some around your house.” Her hands started trembling, and I took hold of her. “It’s okay. We’re going to figure this out. Everything is going to be okay.”

Chapter Forty-Two

Elizabeth

A team of cops came over to my house along with Sam and his father, and they searched the whole house for cameras.

Eight were found, including the final one, which was placed inside of my jeep.

I’m going to be sick.

They were the same tiny cameras Sam had told me about when he’d first changed the locks in my house. “I can’t believe this. God dammit, Elizabeth, I’m so sorry,” Sam said, rubbing his brow. “Tanner was the only person in town we sold these new cameras to.”

“How many did you sell him?”

He swallowed hard. “Eight.”

“How could he do this? How could he get the cameras in here? He’s been watching us this whole time?” I asked the cops, who were collecting the cameras.

“It’s hard to say how long he’s been doing this, but we will find an answer. We’ll run his fingerprints and see if anything comes up. We’ll figure this out, ma’am.”

After everyone headed out, Tristan wrapped his arms around me. “We should go get Emma. You should be with her.”

I nodded. “Yeah, we should.”

Tristan put his finger under my chin and tilted my head up so I could stare into his eyes. “We’re going to figure all of this out, Lizzie. I promise you.”

For the whole ride over to Kathy and Lincoln’s house, I prayed that we would figure it all out.

“Liz, what are you doing here?” Lincoln asked, opening the front door. Tristan waited in his car for me.

“I know Emma’s supposed to stay the night, but I would really feel more comfortable if she was home with me tonight.”

Lincoln raised an eyebrow as Kathy walked over to greet me. “Liz, what’s going on?”

“Just picking up Emma.” I smiled. “I’ll explain everything later, I promise.”

“But Tanner just stopped by to pick her up. He said you were having car trouble and wanted him to drop her off at your house.”

Oh my God.

I turned to look at Tristan. The worry in my eyes must have been clear as day because he pumped his fist against his mouth as I hurried back over to him. “Tanner has her.”

“Call 911,” he ordered as I hopped into the car and he drove off. I spoke with the cops and they said they were on their way to my house to meet us.

I couldn’t stop shaking. My mind was shutting down on me and I couldn’t see through my tears. My head was growing more and more dizzy as each second passed. I was going to faint. I was going to pass out. I was going to—

“Lizzie,” Tristan said sternly as he gripped my hand in his. “Lizzie! Look at me. Now!” he ordered. I sobbed, unable to stop as I turned his way. “I need you to take a breath for me. Okay? I need you to breathe.”

I inhaled deep.

But I wasn’t certain that an exhale followed.

“Can you think of any place he might have taken her?” a police officer questioned me.