Page 103 of Keep This Promise
“I would trade anything for her.”
“I keep asking myself, why didn’t they take me?” I say. “If this is because of Theo, why not take me? Eden doesn’t know anything.”
“You don’t either,” he points out. “What better motivator for either of us is there than her?”
“I wish they took me. I wish . . . I hope they come back and kill me if anything happens to her because I will never survive this, Holden.”
He leans in, kissing me softly. “Neither will I. We have to be strong and keep faith in the people around us.”
How can he not know that I lost my faith the minute I realized my daughter was gone?
* * *
It’s been twenty-four hours.
It’s as though I’m living in a snow globe where I’m the statue and things are in constant motion around me.
We’ve heard nothing from anyone. No news. No sightings. It’s as though she vanished. The last camera footage shows a black van driving past the coffee shop. After that—nothing.
I can’t sleep, eat, or even talk much. Brielle and Blakely have been at my side, unwavering. Holden goes from pacing, to sitting, to yelling at everyone, to crying, and then back to pacing, trying to be strong.
Neither of us are able to keep it together for a long period of time. We’re both breaking with each second that passes. After watching me cry for the last hour, Brielle forces me to lie down, and I’m feigning sleep because it’s easier than being told what to do or being talked to like she’s already dead.
I’d rather just be numb.
Holden is taking a shower, and there are several people in the dining room, trying to be quiet, but I hear each word.
Emmett’s unmistakable voice is heard first. “We thought they’d make their demands known. If it’s about Holden, then someone should’ve said something about testifying. If it’s about Sophie, then we should’ve heard what they want that she has.”
“If she even has anything, but we’ve been digging into his financial records,” Jackson offers.
“And?”
“So far, it looks like the company he was working for was a shell for either a cartel or some kind of mafia syndicate. We just don’t know which one yet,” Jackson says.
“Do you think he found out who he was really working for and that’s why he made Sophie run?”
“I do. It’s why he was so afraid, and it’ll take me days to try to stitch together who the shell company could be tied to, but that will depend on whether they made an error in the paper trail somewhere,” Jackson says, frustration in his tone. “We are focusing most of our energy on getting a lead to find Eden, that’s the most important thing.”
“Especially with her medication running low.” Emmett’s fear is evident. “Hopefully, they are aware of it and doing the right thing.”
Jackson sighs. “If she’s dead, then they can’t use her against them.”
“Exactly.”
I roll over, covering my head with the pillow. I don’t want to hear this. I don’t want to think about any of it.
I close my eyes, and that numbness I prayed for comes, sinking me into darkness.
“Sophie! Sophie, wake up.” Holden is shaking me, and my eyes fly open in a panic.
“What? Did they find her?” I ask, sitting up and looking around.
He shakes his head. “You’re getting a call.”
“Everyone silent!” Jackson yells. “Sophie, you need to answer the phone.”
I nod, forcing down the bile that threatens to come up. My hands are shaking as I reach for the phone, and Jackson reminds me of what I’m supposed to do if it’s the person who took Eden.
