Chapter 12 - SIXTH FLOOR
Ethan reached the hospital in nine minutes.
Police vehicles surrounded the entrance.
He jumped out before the truck fully stopped.
“Sixth floor!”
A security guard recognized him.
“Sir, elevators are locked.”
Ethan ran for the stairs.
Six flights.
His lungs burned.
He didn't care.
When he reached the hallway, a nurse was crying beside an unconscious officer.
Detective Lena Torres stood near Emmie's room with a bandage across her forehead.
“Where is she?”
Torres looked at him.
“Ethan—”
“WHERE IS EMMIE?”
“Riker took her.”
The world disappeared beneath Ethan's feet.
“How?”
“He entered wearing a uniform. Said Hale ordered a transfer.”
“You believed him?”
“He had Hale's authorization code.”
Torres looked furious with herself.
“I called to verify. Before I got an answer, he hit me from behind.”
“How long ago?”
“Six minutes.”
Ethan grabbed the wall.
“Hospitals have cameras.”
Security pulled up footage.
Riker wore a paramedic jacket over his uniform.
He pushed Emmie in a wheelchair through a service corridor.
Then a camera caught him loading her into—
a white van.
Ethan nearly smashed the screen.
“Hale!”
The detective had just arrived.
“We've got traffic cameras tracking the van north.”
“Where?”
“County Road 18.”
Ethan's face changed.
He knew that road.
Laura had died there.
“Why would he go there?”
Hale looked at the map.
“There are abandoned industrial buildings near the quarry.”
Emmie's phone suddenly called Ethan.
Her phone had been in the hospital drawer.
Except she had apparently taken it with her.
He answered immediately.
“Emmie?”
No response.
Then breathing.
Soft.
“Emmie, sweetheart, can you hear me?”
Whispering.
“Dad.”
His eyes closed.
“I'm here.”
“He thinks I'm asleep.”
“Where are you?”
“I don't know.”
Hale signaled technicians to trace the phone.
Ethan lowered his voice.
“Don't let him know you're talking.”
“I see trees.”
“Anything else?”
“A broken tower.”
Hale pointed at the map.
“Old Wexler quarry.”
Ethan whispered, “We're coming.”
Emmie started crying quietly.
“Dad?”
“Yes?”
“I remember why Mom went to the storage place.”
“What?”
“She told me once.”
“When?”
“Before she died.”
“What did she say?”
Emmie breathed shakily.
“She said she was hiding proof.”
Ethan looked at Hale.
“What proof?”
Emmie whispered:
“A video.”
The phone went silent.
Then Dean Riker's voice came through.
“Thanks, Emmie.”
Ethan's blood froze.
May you like
Riker had heard everything.
---
