Chapter 8 - THE WOMAN WHO MOVED FIRST
Emma did not think.
She ran.
Emma's palms were scraped raw, and blood streaked one elbow, but Lily kept checking Emma's face instead of her own injuries. The child had learned that danger could change shape without warning. Emma hated Renata for teaching her that.
She hit Lily from the side and rolled with her across the wet grass as the truck passed close enough to tear Emma's apron.
Grant reached them seconds later.
"Are you hurt?"
Emma shook her head. Lily clung to her neck.
The catering truck smashed through the river gate and disappeared down the service road.
Sirens approached from beyond the estate. Not local police this time. State troopers.
Grant had called the attorney general's office after hearing the recording.
Danner was arrested. Owen recovered his phone. It contained messages from Victor ordering him to erase the bathroom camera, seize Lily's recorder, and delay any outside investigation.
But Renata still had the rabbit.
Grant looked at Emma's torn apron and grass-stained arms.
"You saved her twice tonight."
Emma looked away. "Anyone should have."
"But no one did. Not even me."
His voice cracked on the last word.
Emma wanted to be angry with him. Part of her was. A father should know when his child is afraid.
But she saw the horror in his face and understood something else: Renata had not only hurt Lily. She had trained everyone around Lily to misread her silence.
A trooper approached.
"Mr. Callahan, we found Victor's SUV abandoned near the marina. There was blood on the driver's seat."
Grant stiffened. "Victor's blood?"
"We don't know. But the marina camera caught two people boarding your company yacht. Victor Hale... and Renata Cole."
The trooper paused.
"They also have a child with them."
May you like
Grant looked down.
Lily was no longer beside Emma.
