The Hunt

Jake Morrison's POV

Jake's phone buzzed with a text message as he raced through the empty streets of Millbrook: "Emma escaped. Find her before Webb does. -A Friend"

Jake slammed on his brakes and read the message again. Emma had escaped? From where? And who was calling him?

He tried calling the number back, but it went straight to a recording: "This number is not in service."

Jake's heart pounded as he realized Emma was out there somewhere, alone and scared, while Marcus Webb's men looked for her. His twelve-year-old cousin was the only family he had left, and she was in terrible danger.

But where would a scared little girl go in the middle of the night?

Jake drove toward his cousin Dale's house, hoping Emma might have run home. But when he got there, his stomach dropped.

The house was destroyed.

Windows were smashed, the front door hung off its hinges, and furniture was spread across the yard. It looked like a storm had hit the place.

Jake ran to the front door and called out, "Emma! Are you here?"

No answer.

He searched through the ruins, looking for any sign of his cousin. In Emma's bedroom, he found her diary thrown on the floor, pages torn out.

Someone had been looking for something special.

Jake heard footsteps behind him and spun around, expecting to see Marcus Webb's men. Instead, he found Mrs. Patterson, the old neighbor, peeking through the broken doorway.

"Jake Morrison?" she whispered nervously. "Is that you?"

"Mrs. Patterson, what happened here? Where's Emma?"

The old woman looked around fearfully before answering. "Men in black cars came about an hour ago. They tore the place apart, asking about some girl who had proof. Dale tried to stop them, but they took him away."

Jake's blood ran cold. "They took Sheriff Morrison?"

"He wasn't wearing his uniform," Mrs. Patterson said. "He looked scared, Jake. Really scared. He kept saying 'She's just a child' over and over."

"Did you see Emma?"

Mrs. Patterson shook her head. "But I heard the men talking. They said something about the building and box number seven."

Box number seven. That's what Emma had said on the radio before Marcus Webb cut her off.

"Mrs. Patterson, if you see Emma, call the state police, not the neighborhood cops. Do you understand?"

The old woman nodded and rushed back to her house, locking the door behind her.

Jake drove toward downtown, his mind racing. If Emma had proof in box number seven at City Hall, she might have gone back there to get it. But that would mean going straight into Marcus Webb's trap.

As he drove past other houses, Jake noticed something strange. Every house had lights on, and people were standing at their windows, watching the streets. Word was growing that something big was happening in Millbrook.

But no one was coming outside to help.

Jake pulled over near the elementary school and tried to think like a scared twelve-year-old. Where would Emma go if she couldn't go home and couldn't trust the police?

That's when he saw her.

A little girl with pigtails was standing by the school field, watching Jake's car. She looked about Emma's age.

Jake got out and approached her carefully. "Hi there. Are you okay? It's pretty late to be outside."

The girl looked around nervously. "Are you Jake Morrison? Emma's cousin?"

Jake's heart jumped. "Yes! Have you seen Emma?"

"She came to my house an hour ago," the girl whispered. "She was crying and said bad men were trying to hurt her family. My mom wanted to call the police, but Emma said the cops were bad too."

"Where is she now?"

The little girl pointed toward downtown. "She said she had to go back to City Hall to get something important. Something that would save Tommy and Danny."

Jake felt sick. Emma was walking into the most dangerous place in town.

"Did she say anything else?"

"She said to tell you that the box isn't in the basement. It's in the judge's private room. And she said to tell you that your ring is more important than you think."

Jake's hand went naturally to the chain around his neck. His father's college ring - the one he'd worn every day since he was eight years old.

"What did she mean about my ring?"

But the little girl was already running back toward her house. "I have to go. Mom said not to talk to strangers."

Jake got back in his car and drove toward City Hall, his mind spinning. Emma knew something about his father's ring. Something important enough to risk her life for.

As he got closer to downtown, Jake saw that the courthouse square was empty except for a few parked cars. But something felt wrong. The streetlights seemed dimmer than normal, and there were too many shadows.

Jake parked across the street from City Hall and studied the building. Most of the windows were dark, but he could see a dim light coming from the second floor - Judge Brennan's office.

That's where Emma would be.

Jake checked his phone one more time, hoping for word from Maya or the federal agents. Nothing.

He was completely alone.

But Emma was counting on him, just like Tommy and Danny were counting on him. He couldn't let them down again.

Jake took a big breath and started across the street toward City Hall.

The front door was unlocked, which should have been his first sign. Jake pushed it open and stepped into the dark hallway.

His footsteps echoed as he walked toward the stairs going to the second floor. Everything was quiet except for the sound of his own beating.

Jake climbed the stairs slowly, listening for any sign of Emma or danger. The second floor hallway was empty, but light was coming from under Judge Brennan's office door.

Jake reached for the door handle and paused. This felt like a trick. Everything about this situation screamed trap.

But what choice did he have?

He turned the handle and pushed open the door.

Judge Brennan's office was empty except for one thing.

A cardboard box sitting on the desk with "Box #7" written on the side in Emma's handwriting.

Jake ran to the box and opened it. Inside were dozens of photographs, bank statements, and official papers. Evidence of wrongdoing going back twenty years.

But where was Emma?

"Looking for someone?" came a familiar voice from behind him.

Jake spun around and saw Marcus Webb standing in the doorway. Behind him were three armed men.

"Hello, Jake," Marcus said with a cold smile. "Thank you for walking right into my trap."

"Where's Emma?" Jake demanded.

"Safe and sound. For now." Marcus stepped into the room. "But her safety depends entirely on what you do in the next few minutes."

Jake's hand moved toward the ring around his neck, remembering what the little girl had said about it being important.

"I wouldn't touch that if I were you," Marcus warned. "Not until you understand what it really is."

"What are you talking about?"

Marcus's smile got wider and more scary.

"That ring around your neck isn't just a college ring, Jake. It's a micro SD card holding every piece of evidence your real father collected before I killed him. Bank records, witness statements, proof of crimes in thirty states."

Jake felt his world spinning. "That's impossible."

"Your father was very smart. He hid the most important proof where I could never find it - with his eight-year-old son. You've been carrying the key to destroying my entire business for twenty-six years."

Jake's fingers touched the ring. His most precious possession was actually the proof that could save everyone.

"Here's what's going to happen," Marcus continued. "You're going to give me that ring. Then you're going to admit to killing Sarah Martinez and burning down the textile factory. In return, I'll let Emma, Tommy, and Danny live."

"That's insane. No one will believe I'm guilty."

"They will when they find your suicide note explaining how guilt drove you to kill yourself." Marcus pulled out a gun. "You have thirty seconds to decide, Jake. The ring, or everyone you care about dies."

Jake looked at the box of proof on the desk, then at the ring around his neck. One way or another, this nightmare was about to end.

But as he started to reach for the chain, something happened that no one expected.

The lights went out.

Complete darkness filled the room.

Jake heard Marcus Webb yelling and his men stumbling around in the dark.

"Find the light switch!" Marcus shouted.

But in the darkness, Jake heard something else that made his heart race with hope.

Emma's voice, coming from somewhere in the office.

"Jake, the ring opens! Press the stone and turn it left! Do it now!"

Jake's fingers found the ring around his neck. He pressed the stone and turned it left, just like Emma had said.

The ring split apart in his hands, showing a tiny SD card inside.

But as the lights suddenly came back on, Jake found himself face to face with Marcus Webb's gun.

And behind Marcus, Jake saw something that made his blood turn to ice.

Emma was there, but she wasn't alone.

She was standing next to someone Jake had trusted completely.

Someone who had been betraying them all along.

Someone whose betrayal would change everything Jake thought he knew about this nightmare.

And Jake understood that even with the evidence in his hands, he might already be too late to save anyone.