“I don’t know, maybe jewelry?” She shrugged, trying her best to appear normal. “Money perhaps. What do thieves look for in apartments? I’ve never worked those kinds of cases.”
Amelia couldn’t tell him the truth; she had decided that even before he came over. It looked to her that the only thing the thief had taken was the documents she had printed earlier that day off the flash drive. The only way someone could know about those documents was if she was being watched at the station. And as much as she cared for Trent, as much as she wanted to trust him, she couldn’t trust anyone who worked there. Not until she figured out what was going on.
It was a horrible, sinking feeling, knowing that someone she worked with had betrayed her like that. She thought back to who was in the room, and one by one made a mental note of each of them. She hoped with all her heart that it wasn’t Trent. Brenda was always in her office, so she knew it couldn’t be her. But Trent had seen her rushing to shut down her computer. He probably saw the papers. Trent was always with her. He would have the easiest time knowing what was going on. And Gabe, Gabe who she already didn’t trust.
Who would they be reporting information to was the real question, and the one Amelia still didn’t know the answer to. Didn’t even have the slightest guess. She hoped it wasn’t Trent, and before this she never suspected him of doing anything that would harm her. Yet with everything going on, she couldn’t help but worry.
She needed time to process this on her own. Her mind was racing, and she needed to get her thoughts straight so she could decide what her next step would be. She still had the flash drive, thankfully she had left it in the console of her car. She had put it in her pocket after she printed the documents, and it was poking her leg on her way home. She had never given it a second thought, but someone wanted that information enough to break into her apartment. She’d have to be far more careful about it now.
She also needed to tell someone about this so that if something happened, she wouldn’t take this secret with her to the grave. Her mother had warned her to be careful with who she trusted with this, and the robbery only proved that. She found herself wishing she had more friends. She decided she had to tell Everett. He seemed like the safest choice, since he wasn’t involved in any of this. He certainly wasn’t at the station, so he couldn’t have shared her secret. And he was an attorney. Her mother trusted him, so she would trust him. He was bound by law to keep his mouth shut. He also knew the law. Perhaps he could council her in this matter, as she was at a loss.
“We will find out who did this and why,” Trent assured her. “We can monitor your apartment, check in to make sure you’re okay.”
“I will not be here.”
“No?”
“No.” She wasn’t sure she should tell him this, but she didn’t see a way around it. “I’ll be staying at my mom's house for a few days. I should be safe there. Safer than staying here anyway.”
Someone else had already tried breaking into her mother’s house. Perhaps looking for the same thing? Amelia would get a security system that day, no matter how much it cost. She would ensure that she would be safe. That would be easier to do in a home she owned than an apartment that she couldn’t make super drastic changes to.
“That’s probably a good idea. At least let the dust settle there, take time to decompress. In the meantime, we’ll do anything we can to figure this out so you can feel safe again.”
“Thank you. I’m going to take the morning off, if that is ok. I need to get myself together.” Get a security system. But she would not tell anyone about that. “I’ll see you after lunch.”
“Do you want me to stay and help you out? It might make you feel better, having someone else around. It’s no problem at all.”
“I appreciate the offer, but someone needs to be working on that case, and I have some things I need to handle on my own. I’m just glad you came over. I’m feeling a lot better now.”
“Ok, I understand.” He paused and looked her in the eyes. He seemed so genuine. She wanted to tell him everything. She wanted to know she could trust him. His presence had made her feel better, safer. She wished he could stay. “Amelia, please let me know if you need anything. Anything at all. I’ll do it. I’m worried about you.”
“Thank you for caring.” She forced a smile. “But I’m fine, I promise. I just need a little time to process this on my own. I’ll see you this afternoon.”
After Trent finally left, Amelia texted Everett and let him know that she would be keeping the house after all and that since her apartment was recently broken into, she would be staying at the house for a little while. She also asked if he had time to meet with her so she could go over a few things.
Then she called the best security system company she could find and arranged for them to set up the most expensive system at her mother’s house when she got home from work. Put some of that inheritance to good use.
By the time she got off the phone with them, Everett had texted her back offering to meet at the local coffee shop. She agreed, then immediately regretted it.
Trent would probably be hurt if he knew that she was more willing to open up to this stranger than him. And Everett probably thought she was a train wreck. She had known him for less than forty-eight hours, and in that time, she had stormed out of his office, broke down crying, and had her apartment broken into. Now she would enlist him into helping her with the safekeeping and deciphering of whatever was on the flash drive. It was well beyond what any attorney should ever have to deal with.
She second-guessed this decision the whole drive there, but it wasn’t like she had much of a choice. Considering how dangerous this had become, she had to tell someone, and she had no one else to tell.
As she pulled into the parking lot, she thought of Brenda. She trusted Brenda, but Brenda might tell Trent. And she wasn’t sure she could trust Trent, despite how much she wanted to. Brenda was too close, too personal. She would have to tell Everett, there was simply no other choice.
Amelia arrived fifteen minutes before she’d arranged to meet Everett, so she had some time left to change her mind. She checked the area, glanced around at the cars, and made a mental note of everyone in the vicinity. She wanted to find a pattern. Wanted to ensure no one was following her.
Someone had their eyes on her and her movements. She wouldn’t be caught off guard again. Once inside, she ordered a coffee with a double shot of espresso and lots of mocha dumped in and a muffin to go along with it. She hadn’t eaten anything since the pizza last night. She wasn’t sure if her stomach was relaxed enough to handle food even now, but she was starving.
Once she had her order, she chose a seat in the back corner so she could watch everyone. Nothing appeared suspicious. There were quite a few people there, but they were all chatting, seeming relaxed for the most part. Soft indie music was playing, work from local artists decorated the warm interior. It was pleasant, but she wouldn’t let this knock her off guard.
She scanned the room and caught Everett as he walked in. Just seeing him made her feel a little safer. It seemed to take him forever to get his bagel and coffee. She needed him to hurry, needed to talk to someone about all of this.
“Good morning,” he said as he joined her. “How are you feeling after everything? That must’ve been tough to go through.”
“I’m terrified,” she admitted. It was nice to say it out loud. She went into a quick recap of the robbery, shaking as she did so. Everett listened patiently until she had told him the whole story.
“Well, I’m glad you’re okay. That sounds terrifying, and you’re showing your strength just by being able to meet with me today about it. What do you think they were there for?”
She took a moment, reconsidering what she was about to tell him. She wished there was any other answer.
“Remember that box my mother left me?” He nodded. “Well, in the letter that was taped to the lid my mom led me to a flash drive. I opened it up on my work computer yesterday and looke
d through it. At first all I found was more information on my mother’s estate and her financial setup. But as I looked closer, I noticed something odd embedded in some receipts. I printed these pages out and later realized that they held information about foreign bank accounts. Accounts that weren’t my mother’s. These papers are the only thing they took. Not my gun lying right there on the table, my wallet, or even the cash I had left over from ordering pizza last night. There are plenty of things that are far more valuable in my house that might appeal to your everyday robber. But he took a few papers. And the thing is, I think he was at my mother’s house, too. I found the flash drive in the attic, and when I went up there, I noticed it was a huge mess. My mother never left her things like that. Boxes had been tipped over, stuff scattered all over the floor. It looked like someone had gone through her stuff. Searching for something. I didn’t understand it at the time, but now I think it’s all connected. I think they were looking for the flash drive.”
“That’s a lot,” Everett admitted. “It sounds like you’re in danger, Amelia. You have to be careful after all this.”
“I will be,” she vowed. “I’m getting a new security system installed. I am looking after myself. I won’t be caught off guard again.”
“Good. Where are you planning to go from here? It sounds like you haven’t gone to the police yet. Do you intend to?”
“I don’t think I can at this point. They stole the papers after I printed them at work. I think someone there might’ve been watching me. Now I don’t know who to trust, and trusting the wrong person right now seems like it could have fatal consequences. I want to find out what’s on this flash drive, who this information belongs to before I make any big moves. However, I do have a plan.”
He looked at her and waited for her to continue. But she was nervous, unsure how he would feel about all of this.
“I made two copies of the flash drive. One for me and…” She watched his reaction. “One for you if you’re willing to help me. I placed the original in a safe deposit box at First National Bank on my way over here.”
“Of course, I’m willing to help you.” He smiled, and suddenly she didn’t feel so alone. It was a relief that she had someone to help her tackle this. It was far too overwhelming for her to deal with on her own. “What exactly are we looking for?”
“Well, I’m not too sure yet. Like I said, I found multiple documents randomly imbedded in statements and receipts. I think we should start with trying to find them all and see if we can figure out why my mom kept them, why she hid them. I think it’d be a start if we could find out who they belong to. I know there’s far more on that drive, I can feel it. I just want to explore it further, see what we can dig up. Then we can go from there. But we must keep this a secret, I don’t trust anyone at the moment.”
“But you trust me?” He raised his eyebrows questioningly and she questioned herself. Why did she trust a stranger? Could she trust him? Time would tell.
She shrugged. “Well, I have to trust someone, and since you’re my attorney, you’re bound by law to keep this to yourself. Plus, you’re not as close to all of this as everyone else is. You have no reason to be involved in this, and I need someone who’s got a bit more distance. Who has a separate skill set from myself.”
“True enough.” He smiled. “Well, I must tell you that I’m honored to have your trust and I will help you through this. This seems more important than most of the work I do, so honestly, you have me hooked.” He placed his hand on her knee. “Don’t worry, okay? We will figure this out.”
She nodded. Surprisingly enough, she believed him.
Chapter Sixteen
The classical music blared as Emma drove past a row of extravagant mansions. They are so gaudy, she thought. She traveled out further away from the more populated areas, up the lonesome road that led to her house. Her only neighbors were trees and the creatures that lived in the surrounding woods. Just how she liked it.
She was sweaty and tired after a long day of work at the yoga studio, but it was worth it, fulfilling. She didn’t need a job, of course not. Her parents offered her plenty of money, and it’s not like she could fund her lifestyle working as a yoga instructor. But she never thought of quitting. She loved it and would do it even if they didn’t pay her.
She loved watching people evolve through the practice. She paid close attention as they slowly lost layers of stress, leaving room for their bodies and minds to grow stronger. She loved noticing the small changes in herself as she blossomed in a community of incredible people. Most of all, she adored finding that inner peace, that inner place where she felt safe. After the abduction, it was essential for her sanity. Most stories end once the kidnapped woman is rescued. So Emma had no clue where to move on from there. The trauma doesn’t stop when the cage is opened.
The tone of the song changed as her mansion came into view. Melted into something darker, more dramatic. She almost changed the song, even for that short drive. She avoided listening to anything that reminded her of sadness or of struggle.
But it reminded her of the piece she wanted to work on, so she kept it on as she keyed in the code to the iron gate. She paused as it closed behind her, making sure it was shut tight, then continued down the driveway lined with gorgeous flowers, towering trees, and bushes that obstructed any outsider’s view.
She drove up to the front of the black marble mansion with stunning murals painted across it. There were no windows. Emma had told the builder that she designed it like that to be artistic, as she had designed each element of her house on her own. She claimed she wanted to own something unique that no one else had.
That was true, in a way. She did wish to live differently than others. However, the main reason was she didn’t trust the outside world. Didn’t trust anyone, though she was slowly learning how to trust herself. And windows allowed the world easy access. She suspected they had spied on her through her windows before they abducted her as a child, so now she’d never allow anyone that opportunity.
She put in the code for the security system and finally stepped into her tranquil house.
The sound of running water from a couple of water fountains and soothing music reached every inch of the house, due to its open concept. Her white, fluffy cat, Dove, padded to her and let out a little meow. She fed the cat and spent a bit of time with her while she munched on her own healthy berry smoothie bowl. Then she went up to her art studio to work on her most recent canvas.
Her canvases were opposing clashes of dark and light. There were paintings of tranquil forests and blood-soaked, haunting nightmares. Dreams and terror. More than anything else, this room showed the battles inside her. How she longed for peace while trying to outrun the ghosts of her past. This latest canvas was a sign of her failure.
Emma put her smock on, tied her hair back, and settled into her other safe space. She always thought she’d make a living selling art someday, and she was an artist. She made quite a bit off her work. Yet she couldn’t live in this artist world quite yet. It took too much out of her. She could only dabble in moments like these.
That’s why she intended to work for maybe half an hour, so the work wouldn’t consume her.
She got lost somewhere along the way, though, and worked for hours with dark paints, dark memories fueling her brush. She couldn’t get her mind off the detectives’ visit, so she leaned even further into her work and away from the trauma.
She didn’t step back until exhaustion set in and the canvas shadowed the outline of a girl in a cage. Still rough, she had a lot more work to do. But the idea was out there, and she liked it so far. It captured the exact emotion she was going for.
As she showered under scorching water, she debated what to do about those detectives. She couldn’t have them keep showing up like this, interrupting her life and reminding her of what she once was.
Especially Amelia. Amelia was the worst. She hated her for that. Whenever she saw her, it reminded her of that basement, of that deep, dark
terror. Amelia had to witness the most traumatic time in Emma’s life, and every time she saw her, she went back there. She had done so much work to escape.
Emma didn’t care about what was happening to girls now. She had her own healing to do. Why couldn’t they see that? The world was so selfish.
She decided that if they kept bothering her, she’d have no choice but to get her father involved. He’d put a stop to it, though she wasn’t keen on asking him for help. In the meantime, she’d try to let it go. She put on her softest pajamas and skipped a proper dinner in favor of a huge bowl of ice cream and wine on the side. She settled into a romantic comedy with Dove in her lap, all the while knowing that she was far too damaged for real romance.
As the movie ended, she switched on all the lights from the living room to her bedroom. Then turned them off on her way back through. She was never willing to be alone in the dark for even a second. She finally settled in her bedroom, an oasis of blue and green, colors meant to promote mindfulness and peace. She switched on her nightlights.
Dove meowed as Emma took in deep breaths and let them out, telling herself that she didn’t need to check everything every night. Her security system was flawless. No one could get in.
She got ready for bed and almost made it to the bed without her nightly panic attack.
Fear froze her a couple of feet away from her blankets, warned her. You can never be too sure, never know what’s waiting in the shadows. Think of Nolan. Think of Amelia. Flashbacks of being in a cage, not knowing what would happen next, punished her for daring to step out of line.
With tears in her eyes, she checked under her bed, her closet, every crevice, made sure her gun was safe in the dresser beside her. Once the nightly search was complete, she finally crawled into bed, hiding her fears under the covers.
Fury towards the detectives returned with a vengeance, especially Amelia. It was their fault she was like this, their fault she couldn’t sleep. Amelia should’ve known better, they all should’ve. Telling her about that other girl made her anxious, made her mind spin and…
The Darkest Secrets Page 8
