He made a quick call to one of his buddies. Let him know that he might not be in for a bit and asked for Everett’s address. After a couple more calls with no replies, Trent got in his car and took off again, no longer able to ignore all the terrible possibilities.
What if Amelia was there? Could he handle seeing her with Everett? Knowing they spent the night together? Knowing she’d chosen him?
It would be horrible, Trent acknowledged that. But it couldn’t be as bad as this not knowing. He’d rather know she was with another man than wonder about her safety. The time for explanations would come later. Right now, it was all about keeping her safe. It always would be.
He was surprised by how remote the guy’s house was, surrounded by gorgeous trees and wildlife. It was impressive, but also odd. Not at all the kind of place he expected Everett to be living in. Still, the rugged terrain was helpful. If he noticed Amelia with Everett, Trent could just drive away without being seen, if he had that level of self-control.
Yet there were more surprises in store as Everett’s house came into view. It was huge, overlooking the lake. A modern stone mini mansion with sleek design. The guy had clearly hired a gardener, and there were more rooms than he’d ever need. It was lavish, oddly lavish.
Sure, he was a lawyer. Lawyers make good money, but Trent couldn’t see how someone that young could save up for something like this. Call it an inkling or just jealousy, but something didn’t seem right. Nothing seemed right.
Who was this guy, really? Had Amelia taken the proper time to get to know him? Obviously not. Did she find it strange that his house was this huge? Did she wonder how he had this much money after working for someone else’s law firm for just a few years?
Probably not. It probably impressed her. His suspicions were confirmed as he noticed her car parked in his driveway. Her car and…Emma’s car?
Trent pulled in. This day was getting more confusing by the moment. He parked, waiting for someone to come out and confront him.
Why was Emma here? Had Amelia and Everett invited her over to break the news? Were they doing this together? Was that why Amelia hadn’t showed up at work? Perhaps she was too busy talking to her sister.
Why Everett, though? Why would Amelia choose some guy she barely knew to do this with her? Become so intimate with her? He had been here all this time, yet she never fully let him get close. He turned his car back on. Clearly Amelia was doing just fine, and it was a mistake to come here. She was right. He needed to mind his own business and let her live her life.
But then, through the huge windows Everett had all over his house, Trent caught a glimpse of his competition. And it looked like…well, it looked like Everett had a gun in his hand.
Trent sent the call for backup over his radio and ignored the command to wait until someone else arrived. He ran up to the front door, praying it wasn’t too late.
Chapter Thirty-Eight
Emma
“You fucking bitch!” Emma screamed. She sobbed. Amelia knew it was more than just the physical pain. Emma was hurting, and perhaps that pain would never stop.
A bang rang out, louder than Emma’s cries. She stopped. They both glanced up towards the stairway. Something was happening above them. It sounded like a gunshot. Like a punch of hope.
“What did you do?” Emma asked. She shot a glare at Amelia as if she hadn’t been in the cage this entire time. She just couldn’t look beyond Amelia as her ever-present enemy.
Emma scrambled to her feet and ran to the TV. She switched it on. The screen illuminated as Amelia tried to catch her breath and wrap her mind around what had just happened. Seven cameras showed different views of the property. Everett and Trent in the kitchen. Everett on the floor, Trent over him with cuffs. Police cars surrounded the area.
Relief touched Amelia. Finally, she’d be saved. She’d get out of this and she’d never do police work again. She would never put herself in danger again. These demons would finally be behind her.
“How?” Emma demanded as she faced Amelia yet again. “How did you do this? How do you always ruin everything?” She shook her head. “It doesn’t matter. This basement is shut in with a vault door, disguised with a regular steel door in front of it. They’ll think it’s easy enough to break through, but they won’t be able to get inside unless they have the combination, and only Everett and I have that.”
“Emma.” Amelia looked her in the eyes, tried to reach out to that part of her everything she’d gone through hadn’t broken yet. There had to be a piece that still existed, unblemished. “I’ve never been a real part of your life. You don’t even know me. I don’t know you. But I’ve only ever tried to rescue you, get justice for you. You knew that I would, that’s why you set up the kidnapping. And when we were kidnapped together, for real that first time, we stuck together. All we had was each other, and we got through it. Together. I thought we had a real bond. So why do you hate me so much, really? How did I ruin your life? You might as well tell me. Neither of us is getting out of this unscathed. Maybe it’ll provide the closure you need before you’re arrested. I’d sure like to have some answers.”
Emma scoffed, which was fine. Amelia was desperate to just buy time. She trusted Trent, now more than ever. Maybe if given time, he would find a way to save her. Even if not, maybe she could at least understand why this was happening to her.
“You don’t know anything about the closure I need. You don’t know what it was like growing up with a psychopath father and a mother who one second loved me and the next second was furious at me for existing. She couldn’t stand to look at me for weeks, knowing I was a product of Emily, a solid representation of their affair. She knew my father still loved her, and that Emily loved him. That they we would never be the perfect family. You have no idea what that’s like. You never will, because she chose you. I developed a habit of hiding in my father’s office. Listening to conversations. Becoming more horrified by each word he said. And that’s when I learned it was your fault.”
Emma stood again and any empathy Amelia felt for her was swept away by self-preservation. This woman was beyond redemption. Her anger had twisted her.
What is taking Trent so long to get down here?
“When I learned it was your mother’s fault! She would not stop seeing him! No matter how much it hurt my mother, how much it hurt our family. No matter how much it hurt me, she continued to be selfish.”
The sound of something turning drew both of their attention to the stairs. Emma’s red cheeks turned white. All emotion besides betrayal left her eyes. Her shoulders slumped, helpless.
“He wouldn’t,” she whispered.
Amelia had learned something about Everett, though. She knew him more now than she ever did before and she suspected he would. If Emma had loved him, it would never be reciprocated. That wasn’t possible for someone like him. Not truly. He’d always be more devoted to himself.
Emma dashed to the couch and pulled out a gun from among its cushions as the door burst open. Amelia had a split second to wonder why Emma hadn’t grabbed the gun before, why she hadn’t shot her before.
“Don’t shoot!” Trent called out the warning. “We can get you out peacefully, unharmed.”
Emma turned to Amelia, gun pointed at her, eyes glazed over. Amelia knew that nothing Trent said would stop her. She wouldn’t care if she was killed for this. She was so desperate to believe that this would give her peace. To her, it was worth it.
Amelia’s human instincts begged her to cower, to dive away, to hide. But her detective instincts kept her still, kept her gaze on Emma as she pulled the trigger.
Amelia dove to the floor, to the corner of the cage as another shot rang out. Something shattered. Something heavy thudded to the floor.
She closed her eyes, shaking, sobbing as she realized she was alive. Maybe her mother was here for her in that moment, because she had literally dodged a bullet, and it didn’t sound like more were coming.
“Amelia!” Trent called out as he ra
n to the cage door and took out a key. “Amelia, don’t worry. I’m getting you out, it’s all going to be okay. I got you. You’re safe.”
She moved away from her corner and stopped as she realized her mother couldn’t have been there. Because Emma looked back at her, eyes wide open as blood pooled around her chest, betrayal her last feature.
Amelia knew that Emma was wrong. If Emily’s spirit was there, she would’ve saved both of her daughters. She did love them, love her. And hopefully, now Emma would find her peace. If there was an afterlife, hopefully she and Emily would finally have that perfect reconciliation.
The door finally opened. Amelia scrambled out into Trent’s arms, away from Emma’s accusing eyes, away from that dreadful, disgusting cage. Into the world she knew and the one person she could trust.
“You’re safe,” he assured her as she cried against his chest. He wrapped her up tight. “You’re safe now. It’s all going to be okay.”
She still found it hard to believe this nightmare would ever end.
Chapter Thirty-Nine
After talking with the other investigators, Trent took Amelia home and stayed with her throughout the night. He made her dinner, watched movies with her. Neither of them slept. Both were too terrified.
The next morning, Brenda joined them. All three banded together like they used to, always there to support their friend. The three spent the whole day together, as well as the night. Amelia finally slept and woke up to breakfast. She assured them it was okay when they left to get back to their jobs, to their lives.
After they left, Amelia found that photograph again. She looked at it as she drank her morning coffee. She couldn’t help but think of all the circumstances that had converged to create the storm that was Emma’s life. Thought of how egos and greed were the driving factors for everything that had happened and how she still felt a little bad for Emma, for all she had gone through. For everything that had made her the killer she’d become.
She wasn’t innocent, perhaps she even deserved the death granted to her in that basement. But she wasn’t responsible for all of this. There were other culprits, and Amelia wanted to ensure that they were found. Punished just as she had been.
None of the women who had lost their lives had complete justice yet. Despite everything, Amelia was still determined to get that for them. To get the closure she needed to finally be free of her twin.
She finished her coffee and got dressed. As she stared into the mirror, she faced down that demon who begged her not to leave the house. The world was scary, full of monsters and enemies, not to be trusted. Her hand lingered on the doorknob. She took deep breaths. She had to do this.
After a few agonizing minutes, she forced herself to leave the house and drove down to the police station. She already knew how they’d react, so she waited in the car a bit and prepared herself for it. Then, once again, she took that step forward. She knew that was life; her life anyway. It was always about taking that step forward, leaving her past behind, trying to make something from this mess. She could pause, but she could never stop.
They all glanced up as she walked into the police station, looked at each other, uncertain. It had been an unspoken assumption that after everything, she’d take time off. No one could bounce back from something like that quickly. They needed her to have a level head. No one was sure who should approach this, talk to her about it.
Trent sighed as he saw her and shook his head. To everyone’s relief, she walked to him and they looked away. Eyes back on their work, allowing him to deal with it. He stood and held out his arms for a hug.
She hesitated. Long enough for him to notice. It was odd after the time they’d spent together, but something had popped into her head since then, all the damage this case had caused their friendship.
She allowed a quick hug to avoid any awkwardness. Still, it was there. It settled itself between them as they sat facing each other, in silence for a moment.
“Amelia, what are you doing here?” he asked. “We all know that you’re tough, but anyone would need time off after all that. It’s expected. It might be ordered if you don’t take the leave on your own. You need to take care of yourself. We need to make sure you’re doing okay. We all care about you.”
“I’m fine,” she assured him. Was she? She’d barely slept, was haunted by nightmares when she did. She’d never quite gotten over being caged as a kid. Now she’d have to do real work if she wanted to move past it.
“Okay, superwoman.” Trent opened his arms. “If that’s true, then great. They’re still going to require you to take a leave. So sleep, pick up a hobby. Relax, do something fun. Maybe talk to someone…”
Amelia wanted to sling a rude response to that, but Brenda had suggested the same thing and Amelia had accepted the number of a friend of Brenda’s who was a therapist. She hadn’t called her yet. Wasn’t sure if she would, but she might. She thought it might be time to finally work through this.
“Look, I get it. I’m not here to get right back to work, but I do want to finish up this case. I need to. You have to understand that.”
“I do, but if you’re looking to go after Brett, you’re in the wrong place. With the crimes he’s racked up, the FBI has taken over that case. Even I’m not working on that. And with you being his daughter...I doubt they’ll let you near it.”
“I’m aware. Though it’s nice to know they’re finally doing something about him. I’m not talking about Brett. I’m talking about someone else the FBI won’t be looking into but who plays a huge part in this.” She reached into her coat and pulled out the wrinkled photograph Emma had thrown at her. “I want to talk to Melinda.”
Trent’s eyebrows raised as he glanced over the picture. He nodded. “I’ll call her in.”
“I want to be there.”
“You will be,” he promised.
Amelia watched from her desk as Trent led Melinda into the small, harsh interrogation room. It was odd. Most of the time, simple means nonthreatening, comforting even. But in a police station, it got everyone on edge. The bleak interior put Melinda on edge.
The table with its recorder, notebook, and a bottle of water, the simple gray chair that creaked as she sat down on it. With nothing on the gray walls to distract anyone, the attention fell on her. The light was bright enough to be accusing, yet dim enough to be unsettling.
“Melinda,” Trent said, taking a seat across from her. “I’d like to start off by saying that I am sorry about what happened to your daughter.”
“You’re the person who killed her, aren’t you?” she asked as tears reddened her eyes. She glared at him with all the accusations.
“I am,” he admitted. “And it was very unfortunate that I had to do that. I never take pride in having to take someone’s life, but sometimes it’s the only option we have.”
“Only option?” She scoffed. “You’re a trained officer. There had to be another way. Emma was much smaller than you. She wasn’t skilled with a gun. She was frightened, struggling after the life she’s lived. You do not understand what it’s like...” She shook her head, and despite Amelia’s hatred of her, she could tell that Melinda loved her daughter. They were both just broken people, and broken people have a way of breaking people if they don’t deal with their own trauma.
This was all just a complicated mess. Amelia wished she could see things as black and white like everyone else did. But it made her a better detective. Still, she couldn’t forget Anna. Isabella. Emma.
“I can see this is difficult for you,” Trent said. “Understandably so. Why don’t I call another detective in here? An investigator you might be familiar with.”
“Did that detective have anything to do with killing my daughter?”
“No.” He smiled. “She actually helped save her.” He stood and opened the door to allow Amelia in, just as planned.
“I remember you,” Melinda said as she stood. “I’m terrible with names, so you’ll have to forgive me. I don’t think I ever got yours anyw
ay. But you rescued my daughter when she was abducted, didn’t you?”
“I did,” Amelia replied as she sat across from her. She wondered how much Melinda knew about that, but she guessed Emma hadn’t told her mother about the fake kidnapping, about everything she planned.
Melinda looked genuinely shocked, and based off what she’d learned about Emma, she suspected she wouldn’t want to worry her mother like that. If she didn’t know, though, that must’ve been tough. Seeing her daughter back in that same terror she had orchestrated years ago. Maybe then she had finally understood the effect she’d had on the daughter she claimed to love. If she didn’t understand it yet, she would by the time Amelia was done with her.
“Thank you.” Melinda took her hand for a moment, and it took all of Amelia’s self-control not to wrench it away. “At least some of you are useful. Wanting to avoid harming others. I heard what happened in that basement. Not all the details, but that Emma held a woman down there and…” She wiped her tears again, but they kept coming. “And had already killed multiple women?”
“I’m afraid that’s true,” Amelia said, tapping into her empathy to connect with Melinda. Play off her emotions. “What we’re trying to figure out now is why.”
“Maybe you could’ve asked her if you didn’t shoot her.” She shot another glare at Trent.
“That’s true,” Amelia admitted. “But we cannot change events that have already transpired, we have to put the pieces of the puzzle together ourselves. And we have a starting place. We looked into Emma’s history and the cage she kept the women in, it was a replica of the one they kept her in as a child.”
Amelia opened the file she’d brought in with her, showed her the pictures of the cage. She watched Melinda’s face twist as she realized she’d contributed to destroying her daughter like this. Their despicable parenting had resulted in scars that paved the path to her daughter’s death.
The Darkest Secrets Page 21
