Chapter 7
Daniel stood frozen.
Bear seized his wrist before he could reach his coat.
Emily ran toward the departing SUV, sobbing with relief.
Daniel struck Bear and tried to escape.
The other bikers surrounded him.
“No,” Bear warned them. “We do this legally.”
Daniel laughed from the ground.
“You still think the law matters?”
State police vehicles entered the parking lot.
For one hopeful second, I thought it was over.
Then the commanding officer ordered Bear onto his knees.
Daniel stood and brushed dirt from his jacket.
The officer called him “Mr. Mercer.”
They knew each other.
Daniel pointed at me.
“She abducted my daughter and hired these men.”
Emily stepped forward.
“That’s a lie.”
The officer barely looked at her.
“Ma’am, stay quiet.”
Daniel smiled.
Bear whispered to Jo, who had arrived behind the officers.
“Keep streaming.”
Thousands now watched the live video.
The officer’s radio crackled.
His dispatcher warned that reporters were calling the station.
Cameras had seen Daniel holding Sophie.
Public attention changed everything.
The officer reluctantly detained Daniel.
Then Luis returned with Sophie.
Emily fell to her knees and gathered her daughter into her arms.
Sophie looked at me over Emily’s shoulder.
“Grandma, Daddy said you wanted me gone.”
“No, sweetheart.”
Daniel watched us from the police car.
His expression carried no regret.
Only calculation.
Sophie pulled a tiny key from her sock.
“I took this from Daddy’s desk.”
Attached to it was a metal tag bearing the number 317.
Emily recognized it.
“That’s a bank deposit box.”
Daniel began kicking the inside of the police car.
“Take that away from her!”
May you like
Everyone turned.
For the first time, he looked truly afraid.
