Chapter 7 - The Secret Ryan Was Protecting
James pulled Emily away from the window.
“Stay here.”
“No.”
“Emily.”
“I need answers.”
“So do I.”
They heard the front door upstairs open.
Footsteps.
Slow.
Measured.
Someone walked through the abandoned house.
James switched off the basement light.
Emily stood behind him.
The footsteps stopped above them.
Then someone spoke.
“Colonel Bennett.”
James recognized the voice.
Ryan.
Emily closed her eyes.
“How did he find us?”
James whispered.
“He followed you.”
Ryan called again.
“You should have stayed out of this.”
James stepped toward the stairs.
“You've been lying to my daughter.”
Ryan's voice remained calm.
“You've been lying to her longer.”
Emily stepped forward.
“Ryan!”
Silence.
Then Ryan appeared at the top of the stairs.
Linda stood behind him.
Emily's heart sank.
“You followed us.”
Linda smiled.
“You should never have gone looking.”
Emily looked at Ryan.
“Who is Sarah?”
Ryan's expression changed.
Linda immediately said, “Don't answer her.”
Ryan looked at his mother.
For the first time, he seemed to be choosing between them.
“She was my friend.”
James said, “You were the last person who saw her.”
Ryan looked at him.
“Yes.”
“Why didn't you tell me?”
“Because I was sixteen.”
“You knew she was in danger.”
Ryan's eyes hardened.
“I was sixteen.”
James stepped closer.
“You could have saved her.”
Ryan shouted.
“I TRIED!”
Silence.
Emily stared.
Ryan's voice broke.
“I tried to tell you.”
James stopped.
“When?”
“The night she disappeared.”
“What did you tell me?”
Ryan looked at Linda.
“She told me not to.”
James turned toward Linda.
Linda's face remained expressionless.
Ryan continued.
“She said if I talked, someone would come after my family.”
Emily whispered.
“Your family?”
Ryan looked at her.
“Yes.”
May you like
Then he added something that made Emily's blood run cold.
“Because Sarah wasn't the only person who knew.”
