Page 46 of No Way Forward

“Yes, won’t that be nice? And guess what, no work.”

“You’re on a big case. I thought it wouldn’t be over for a long while yet.”

“I’m going to have myself removed one way or another.”

His words shocked her to her core. Nothing had ever come between her dad and his work. Not even her. Now he was saying he would get himself fired from his current case? Was he so desperate to control her, or did he genuinely care? Distorted love, definitely, but was he doing all this because it was how he loved her?

“I don’t want to go away with you,” she said. “I want to live my own life and make my own choices. Why can’t you understand? Maybe you think so little of me that you think I can’t survive unless you guide my every step. And if you think I’m an idiot, why did you even adopt me?”

He fell silent. While she waited for him to speak again, the phone buzzed in her ear. She pulled it away to check the screen, and hope rose in her gut. Zaid phoned Sheila. Without a second thought, Novette switched the calls, cutting her dad off and connecting with Zaid.

She jetted up the stairs as she spoke. “Daddy, I believe in Zaid. I know he would never do anything to hurt me.”

As soon as she slammed her bedroom door and locked it, she sank to the floor.

“Zaid, it’s me. I have Sheila’s phone. Are you alright?”

“Baby, don’t worry about me. What about you?”

“Sheila ambushed me. She lied and said someone broke into the building. Next thing I know I’m here and Daddy’s guards are watching me. They won’t let me leave. What went wrong?”

“I don’t know, but we don’t have much time. I love you, Novette. I promise you I had nothing to do with the kidnapping.”

“I know, but I’m so glad you’re alive. I thought Daddy had them shoot you.”

“I suspect they wouldn’t have gone that far.”

“What are we going to do now? I mean I know every conceivable way to get out of this place, but those guys will probably come after me. I might not get far this time.”

“I’m coming for you.”

“You’ll never get past the security, and I’m not sure who to trust. I never in a million years would have thought Sheila would go along with this mess. He says we’re going away. If that happens…”

“I’ll be there,” he emphasized. “One way or another, I’m going to get to you. What I want you to do first is—”

The line went dead.

“Hello? Zaid, are you there?”

A bang against her door made her jump a foot, and she scrambled away from it, heart beating wildly. What she recognized as a simple knock came a second time, and she pressed a hand against her chest to calm down.

“Novette, I need my phone back.” Sheila knocked again, and Novette stood to unlock the door.

>

She shoved the phone into the secretary’s hand. “Here. Are you proud of yourself, participating in a crime for my dad? Or maybe you’ve been doing it for years, and you’re used to it.”

“Novette, don’t be so dramatic. I’m only helping your father to protect you.”

“Protect me? That’s what you call kidnapping and holding a person hostage? Wow, he’s gone so far as to redefine laws. That’s amazing.”

“Stop it! What do you young people know about the sacrifices we make for you?”

“My dad isn’t sacrificing for anyone. Don’t lump him in with your challenges over Azalie.”

Sheila raised her hand to smack Novette, but she froze and curled her fingers into her palm. With effort, she lowered her hand. That was a good thing because Novette was looking for a reason to work out her own frustrations. She could easily drop Sheila to the floor, but what would that accomplish?

“Let me out of here, Ms. Sheila. All I want is to be able to live my own life. Is that too much to ask?”

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