Page 82 of Captured Heart

“Once I get it started, I’ll go to my parents’ house,”I’d said.“They’re in Oakland. It’s not too far from here, and my dad will know what to do.”

“No. It’s too risky. Victor may already have men there waiting for you. You need to get to Richmond and go straight to the police station there. Ask for Detective Collins. He was the guy who put me away. He wants nothing more than to take down Victor and his empire. Trust no one else because you don’t know who Vic has on his payroll.”

I follow the directions Alex gave me and manoeuvre through the area to the highway. My eyes keep flicking to the review mirror, but nobody comes because they’re all looking for a woman running on foot.

I laugh, tears spilling from my eyes. “We did it, Alex.”

The streetlights in the station parking lot buzz faintly as I pull in, the old car sputtering to a stop. My hands are grippingthe steering wheel so tightly my knuckles ache. It’s only now, in the relative safety of this space, that the gravity of what I’ve done crashes down on me. For a moment, it feels like my lungs collapse, and I can’t seem to move.

Keep it together, Kate. You’re not safe yet.

I force myself out of the car. The night air is chilly against my sweat-drenched skin. My legs wobble as I make my way to the station’s entrance. The glass doors slide open with a mechanical hiss, revealing a sterile, brightly lit lobby that smells faintly of coffee and disinfectant.

The officer behind the desk glances up at me, his bored expression shifting to mild concern when he sees my state. My hair’s a mess, my clothes are rumpled, and I’m sure my face is still pale from the adrenaline and fear coursing through me.

“I need to see Detective Collins,” I say, sounding as shaky as I feel.

“He’s not in,” the officer replies slightly dismissively. “He won’t be here until seven a.m.”

I grit my teeth, trying to be patient. “Get him on the phone. Tell him Katelyn Akiyama needs to speak to him. It’s urgent. My father’s life is at risk, and if you don’t get him here, it might be too late.”

“I can help. What do you need?”

“First, I need you to send cops to my parents’ house.” I reach over the desk to grab a notepad and snatch the pen from his hand. “Here’s the address.” I scribble it down and hand it back to him. “As many as you can because I don’t know how many men he’ll send there.”

“Who?”

“It doesn’t matter who! I’ll tell Detective Collins everything when he gets here.” My tone is scathing, and I know he’s just trying to help, but I’m too worn down to be nice. “Now get him on the phone. I’ll only speak to him.”

The officer looks like he’s about to argue, but something in my expression must convince him otherwise. With a reluctant nod, he picks up the phone and dials.

I pace the lobby as he speaks quietly into the receiver, my heart hammering in my chest. The minutes stretch endlessly, and the ticking clock on the wall ensures I hear every second that passes by. Finally, he hangs up.

“He’ll be here in fifteen minutes,” the officer says. “And we’ve sent some officers out.”

“Thank you,” I whisper, sinking into one of the stiff plastic chairs.

The wait is agonizing. My worry for my parents and Alex escalates rapidly. Paranoia is getting the better of me. I keep thinking that the officer at the desk is one of Victor’s guys, and he called them to come get me. I keep expecting someone to walk through those doors and pounce on me.

My mind is racing with all the ways things could go wrong, but then it moves to the possibility that it could go right. What if everything turns out exactly the way we planned? What then?

I already know the answer. He told me.

“And then that’s it?”I’d asked Alex.

“That’s it. Don’t seek me out. Don’t ask about me. If we’re ever in the same room together, don’t even look in my direction. Victor has eyes and ears everywhere, so no one can ever find out about us.”

I try to drown out those words because they’re too painful to bear. Every sound is amplified in my head, the shuffle of papers, the faint hum of the vending machine. It’s grating against my frayed nerves, but I’d much rather listen to that than replay our conversation.

I hug my arms around myself, trying to stop the tremors racking my body. When the doors finally hiss open again, Detective Collins strides in, his expression grim. He looksdisheveled, his jacket hastily thrown over a plain T-shirt, as if he put on the first thing he could find.

His eyes lock onto mine immediately. “Katelyn?”

I nod.

“Your parents are safe. We’ve sent officers to bring them here. They’ll be with you soon.”

“Oh, thank God.” For the first time tonight, I feel the tension ease and my shoulders relax. “Thank you, Detective.”

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