Page 22 of The Finder

“Emma, this is Kyle and Levi,” he said pointing to each of them.

Kyle stepped forward with a grin. “Nice to meet you, Emma,” he said and shook her hand. Emma smiled at the man.

Levi stuck his hand out and Emma placed hers in his. Instantly, a bright light flashed in front of her. She jerked back and yanked her hand from his. She saw him looking at her with a confused look on his face. Emma stepped back. “You okay, Emma?” Liam asked in concern.

Emma nodded. She didn’t say anything. She was confused. That same thing had happened when she shook Liam’s hand, but she didn’t want to say that out loud. She didn’t understand what was going on. She had reacted to Liam and Levi, but not Garrett or Kyle. She hadn’t shaken Max’s hand yet; she would have to try that soon and see what happened.

“Let’s get going,” Liam said. He ushered Emma into the back seat and closed the door. Levi climbed in behind the wheel, Kyle took the front passenger seat, and Liam slid into the back seat with her. Emma was quiet as Levi pulled away from the curb. They drove for a little bit and then turned.

“Wait,” Emma said. “This isn’t the right way,” she said. The two men in the front seat ignored her. She turned to Liam. “Liam, I have to go Hope House,” she said.

Liam turned and looked at her and shook his head. “Garrett’s orders,” he said as if that took care of everything.

Emma sat there stunned for a moment. “Excuse me?” she said.

Liam turned to look at her. “Emma, please.”

“Don’t ‘Emma please’ me. I have to go back to the House. I don’t follow his orders. He's not my boss,” Emma said, getting angry now. Every minute that passed was going to put her later getting to Olivia. “Please,” she pleaded with Liam. “Somebody is waiting on me, so I can watch her daughter. I have to be there at two fifteen.”

Liam looked at her compassionately. “I’m sorry, Emma. I can’t.” He turned and looked out the window.

Emma just stared at him, furious. “Call him,” she said, ice in her veins. Liam looked at her for a moment before sighing and pulling out his phone. “Give it to me.” He pulled up Garrett’s number and pushed send before handing it to Emma.

“Liam,” his deep voice sounded in her ear. Emma ignored the butterflies that took flight in her stomach.

“It’s Emma,” she said, surprised her voice sounded calm when she was feeling anything but. Before he had a chance to say anything, she continued. “Your men are under the impression that they aren’t taking me back to Hope House,” she said.

“That’s correct,” he said.

“Garrett, you said we would figure something out. This is not figuring anything out,” Emma said.

“Emma, I can’t let you go back there. I’m sorry,” he said.

“No, please,” Emma was past caring that she was begging. “You don’t understand. Amy has to get this job. I promised her I would watch Olivia.”

“I’m sure she can work something out,” Garrett interjected.

“She can’t. Olivia’s deaf. She can’t just get dropped off somewhere. Please, Garrett, I have to go there. I have to keep my word to them.”

It was silent on the phone for a minute, and Emma closed her eyes, begging him to understand. “I’m sorry,” he said one more time. “I can’t let you go back there.”

Anger erupted inside Emma. “What do you mean you can’tletme go back there?” she said, practically yelling now. She noticed out of the corner of her eye that the guys had all flinched when she yelled but she was past caring. “You don’t own me. You can’t tell me what to do. This is kidnapping if I don’t want to go where you’re taking me. I will call the police if you don’t let me go,” Emma threatened.

“Emma,” he said in a warning voice. She could tell he was getting angry.Let him!She didn’t care.

“If you do this, I won’t forgive you,” she said, meaning every word she said. She would not be the cause of Amy not getting the job and letting them both be disappointed once again.

“That’s a chance I’ll have to take,” he said. And with that, Emma was done. She tossed the phone at Liam. He caught it and put it up to his ear. She heard him say a few words, but she was past caring what it was. She was seething with anger. He had no idea what it was like trying to make it out there. She could picture the hurt on Amy and Olivia’s faces when she didn’t show up. She closed her eyes and put her head against the seat. She felt as the first tear traced itself down her cheek. Who would have thought she would be crying to go back to a homeless shelter? It wasn’t that; she just wanted to help Amy and Olivia. They were the only ones who had been kind to her.

Emma gave herself a second to feel sorry for herself; then she dried her tears. She wasn’t a victim. She would never be a victim again. She had already run away from a powerful group of people. She could do it once again.

Chapter 15

She glanced at the clock. 2:05. If she could escape, she could get there in time, maybe. She didn’t exactly know where they were at the moment, but she would figure it out. She looked at the door and found it unlocked. It was an advantage she would use. She just had to figure out the best time to escape. It couldn’t be when they were stopped because they would be able to catch her too quickly, and it couldn’t be when they were going fast. She would have to time it just right.

She glanced over at Liam. He was still on the phone, looking out the window. This was her chance. She knew Liam would pounce on her in an instant if he knew what she was doing. They stopped at a light. Emma saw they were going to turn right. She waited, hoping she could plan this just right. When they started moving, she waited until they slowed for the turn. When they were almost straight, Emma grabbed the handle and flung the door open. She heard angry shouts behind her, but she hit the ground running in the opposite direction. The good thing was their car was penned in. They would have to go forward before they could turn around. She heard Liam’s shout behind her and knew she was going to have to be smart to escape him; she had a feeling he was fast.

Her feet pounded the pavement. Her stomach was screaming at her in protest, but she pushed those thoughts away. She darted into the first store she saw. With any luck, it would have a back door. It did. She weaved through the store and out the back door. She ran across the street and slipped right into another store. She stepped behind a shelf and watched out the window. She saw Liam run out from the shop and cross the street. He looked both ways, then started down the street. She waited two minutes before she slipped towards the front of the store. She looked out and didn’t see him. She ran down the street in the opposite direction and turned the corner. She crossed two more streets quickly, trying to put distance between her and Liam.

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