Chapter 4
Sophie wrapped both arms around my waist.
“No! Mommy, no!”
I knelt immediately.
The officers looked uncomfortable.
One of them was a woman in her forties.
Her voice softened.
“Mrs. Carter, I understand this is difficult.”
“Her father’s girlfriend assaulted her yesterday.”
“We know there was a report.”
“She has a bruise on her face.”
“I understand.”
“And you’re taking her back there?”
“We have to follow the court order.”
Sophie began shaking.
“I don’t want to go!”
I wanted to run.
Take her through the back door.
Drive until Tennessee disappeared behind us.
But that was exactly what Ryan wanted.
One panicked decision.
One arrest.
One headline in a court filing.
Unstable mother flees with child.
Dana’s warning echoed in my head.
Be extremely careful.
I held Sophie’s face.
“Listen to me.”
She cried harder.
“No.”
“You’re going to be okay.”
“No, Mommy.”
“I will see you tomorrow morning.”
“Don’t make me go.”
The words nearly destroyed me.
I looked at the female officer.
“Can I call my attorney?”
“Yes.”
Dana answered on the first ring.
I explained.
She cursed quietly.
“Do not resist the order.”
“I know.”
“I’m filing an emergency motion right now. Give the officers copies of the assault report and the threatening text.”
“They know.”
“Make sure they note Sophie’s fear.”
Sophie could hear me.
She sobbed into my shoulder.
I hated every person in the world responsible for this moment.
Ryan most of all.
I packed Sophie’s rabbit.
Her pajamas.
Toothbrush.
The female officer promised she would personally escort her.
I took her badge number.
I took photographs.
I documented everything.
Then I walked Sophie to the patrol car.
She held my hand until the final possible second.
“Mommy, what if Jessica is there?”
“She’s not supposed to be.”
“What if she is?”
“You call me.”
“What if Daddy takes my phone?”
I slipped Rachel’s old phone into the side pocket of Sophie’s backpack.
Only three numbers were programmed.
Mine.
Rachel’s.
“Use this if you need me.”
She nodded.
The officer noticed.
She said nothing.
Sophie got into the car.
I stood in Rachel’s driveway as it disappeared.
Then I went inside.
And broke.
For five minutes.
Exactly five.
Rachel held me while I cried.
Then I stood.
Wiped my face.
Opened the laptop.
“We’re going to destroy him.”
Rachel stared at me.
“Okay.”
I sent the security video to Dana.
Her response was immediate.
THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING.
Then she called.
“Where did you get it?”
“Cloud backup.”
“Do you have the original file?”
“Yes.”
“Do not edit it. Do not rename it. Send me a copy and preserve the original.”
“What can we do tonight?”
“I’m contacting the judge’s chambers.”
“Can we get Sophie back?”
“I’m trying.”
“Try harder.”
“I will.”
My phone rang.
Ryan.
I answered.
“What?”
His voice sounded almost cheerful.
“Sophie’s home.”
I clenched my jaw.
“Is Jessica there?”
“No.”
“Put Sophie on.”
“She’s upset.”
“Put her on.”
“Emily, you need to stop upsetting her.”
I almost screamed.
Instead I recorded the call.
“You removed her from the parent she begged to stay with.”
“A judge decided that.”
“A judge heard your lies.”
“Careful.”
“Where is Jessica?”
“I told you she isn’t here.”
“Put Sophie on.”
He sighed.
Then I heard footsteps.
A moment later Sophie whispered, “Mommy?”
“I’m here.”
“I want to come back.”
“I know.”
“Daddy says I have to sleep here.”
“Just tonight, sweetheart.”
There was silence.
Then she whispered even lower.
“Jessica is here.”
My blood froze.
Ryan’s voice snapped in the background.
“Who told you to say that?”
The phone went dead.
I called back.
No answer.
Again.
No answer.
I called the police.
The same female officer returned my call.
I explained that Jessica was in the house despite the active assault investigation.
There was no restraining order yet, so technically she wasn’t legally prohibited.
“But my daughter is afraid of her.”
“I’ll conduct a welfare check.”
Twenty minutes later, Sophie called from the hidden phone.
I answered instantly.
“Baby?”
She whispered.
“I’m in my closet.”
“Why?”
“Daddy’s mad.”
“At you?”
“He took my regular phone.”
“Is Jessica there?”
“Yes.”
“Where?”
“Downstairs.”
“Are you safe?”
“I think.”
I was already grabbing my keys.
Rachel blocked the door.
“Where are you going?”
“To get her.”
“You can’t.”
“I’m not leaving her there.”
The phone rustled.
Sophie breathed, “Mommy?”
“I’m here.”
“They’re yelling.”
“Who?”
“Daddy and Jessica.”
“What are they saying?”
“I don’t know.”
A crash sounded through the phone.
Then Jessica shouted loudly enough for me to hear.
“You said the recording was deleted!”
Ryan shouted back.
“It was!”
My eyes met Rachel’s.
Sophie whispered, “They’re talking about you.”
I put the phone on speaker and started recording with Rachel’s device.
Jessica yelled, “If she has that video, Mercer is useless!”
Ryan answered, “Keep your voice down.”
“She’ll connect everything.”
“Not if we handle tomorrow.”
“How?”
“We make sure Sophie changes her story.”
My hand began shaking.
Sophie sucked in a breath.
Ryan continued.
“She’s seven. She’ll say what I tell her to say.”
Then footsteps started upstairs.
Sophie whispered, “He’s coming.”
“Hide the phone.”
“Mommy—”
“Put it somewhere safe. Now.”
The call ended.
I called the female officer.
“She’s on the way,” Rachel said.
I paced the room.
“What if he finds the phone?”
“What if he hurts her?”
“He won’t.”
“How do you know?”
Rachel had no answer.
Fifteen minutes later, the officer called.
“I’m at the residence.”
“Is Sophie okay?”
“I’m checking now.”
Then silence.
A long, horrible silence.
Finally she said, “Mrs. Carter, I need you to remain where you are.”
“Why?”
“I’ve requested another unit.”
My heart stopped.
“What happened?”
“Please stay on the phone.”
“Is Sophie hurt?”
“No.”
I nearly collapsed.
“But there’s an issue inside the house.”
“What issue?”
The officer lowered her voice.
“I located an adult female matching Jessica’s description.”
“I told you.”
“She was in the kitchen.”
“And?”
“There were prescription bottles on the counter.”
I frowned.
“What does that mean?”
“One bottle has your name on it.”
Everything inside me went still.
“What?”
“Emily Carter.”
“I don’t have any prescriptions.”
“I understand.”
“What medication?”
There was a pause.
“Clonazepam.”
I knew enough to recognize it as a controlled medication used for anxiety and seizures.
“I have never been prescribed that.”
“The bottle appears to have been filled three months ago.”
Three months.
The headaches.
The melatonin.
The memory problems Ryan claimed I had.
I whispered, “Oh my God.”
The officer said, “There’s something else.”
I gripped the phone.
“What?”
“Your daughter showed me the bottle her father has been giving her at bedtime.”
My knees almost gave out.
“What bottle?”
“She says he told her they were vitamins.”
“What is it?”
“I’m not going to speculate until it’s identified.”
I didn’t care about procedure.
“What does the label say?”
“It’s been removed.”
I closed my eyes.
“Take Sophie out of that house.”
“I’m working on it.”
“Please.”
Another voice sounded in the background.
Then Ryan shouted.
“This is my home! You cannot search anything without permission!”
The officer’s voice became firmer.
“Sir, step back.”
Jessica said something I couldn’t hear.
Then Ryan yelled, “Don’t touch that!”
A crash.
The call ended.
I stared at my phone.
“No.”
I called back.
Nothing.
Again.
Nothing.
Rachel was already dialing 911.
Five minutes later, three patrol cars were outside Ryan’s house.
Then four.
Dana called me.
“I just spoke with the responding supervisor.”
“What happened?”
“They found suspected prescription fraud.”
“And Sophie?”
“She’s safe.”
“Is she coming back to me?”
“I filed the emergency motion with the new evidence. The judge is reviewing it right now.”
Another call came through.
Unknown number.
I answered.
“Mrs. Carter?”
“Yes.”
“This is Detective James Holloway with Metro Nashville Police.”
My heart raced.
“Is Sophie okay?”
“She’s safe.”
“Where is she?”
“With an officer.”
“What happened?”
“We detained Jessica.”
“For hitting Sophie?”
“No.”
My stomach tightened.
“Then why?”
“Possession of controlled substances that appear to be fraudulently obtained.”
“And Ryan?”
“He’s being interviewed.”
“About the prescriptions?”
“Among other things.”
I sat down.
The detective continued.
“We also located several documents in a kitchen drawer.”
“What documents?”
“Forms from a private psychiatric facility.”
Hospital papers.
I couldn’t speak.
“They have your name on them.”
My skin went cold.
“What kind of forms?”
“Voluntary admission documents.”
“I never signed anything.”
“We noticed.”
“What do you mean?”
“The signature on these forms appears inconsistent.”
“Because it’s fake.”
“We’re going to investigate.”
I thought of Sophie’s words.
If Emily signs the hospital papers, we’re done.
“What was the date?”
“For admission?”
“Yes.”
The detective paused.
“Tomorrow.”
Friday.
I covered my mouth.
Friday was still Friday.
Then the detective asked a question that frightened me even more.
“Mrs. Carter, does the name Daniel Reeves mean anything to you?”
“No.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Jessica identified him as her brother.”
I stood.
“What about him?”
“We found several text messages between Jessica and Daniel.”
“What did they say?”
“I can’t discuss all of that yet.”
“Detective, someone photographed my daughter through a bedroom window last night.”
Silence.
Then his voice changed.
“Send me that photo immediately.”
“Why?”
“Because Daniel Reeves was arrested six years ago for stalking a former girlfriend.”
My mouth went dry.
“And?”
“He was also investigated in connection with a house fire.”
“What house fire?”
“The victim was his former girlfriend.”
I could barely breathe.
“Did she survive?”
Another pause.
“No.”
My phone buzzed with a new message.
Unknown number.
A photograph.
This time it was me standing inside Rachel’s kitchen.
Taken through the back window.
One sentence followed.
YOU KEEP FINDING THINGS THAT DON’T BELONG TO YOU.
Then another.
TOMORROW WAS SUPPOSED TO BE SIMPLE.
May you like
A third message appeared.
NOW I HAVE TO FIX IT TONIGHT.
