Emma's Courage

Emma Morrison's POV

Emma Morrison stuffed the last evidence photo under the loose floorboard just as heavy footsteps started coming down the City Hall basement stairs.

Her heart was beating so fast she thought it might explode, but she forced herself to sit quietly at the old table and pretend to be reading a comic book she'd found.

The footsteps got closer. Emma counted them - one person walking slowly, like they were being very careful.

When Marcus Webb emerged at the bottom of the stairs, Emma looked up and tried to act surprised.

"Oh, hi Mr. Webb," she said in her most innocent twelve-year-old voice. "I didn't know anyone else was here."

Marcus Webb studied her with cold eyes. He looked different from the nice FBI agent who had visited their house last month. Now his face was mean and scary.

"Hello, Emma," Marcus said, walking closer to her table. "What are you doing here so late at night?"

Emma shrugged, trying to keep her hands from shaking. "I couldn't sleep, so I came here to get some old comic books. My dad said there were boxes of them down here."

"Your dad said that, did he?" Marcus sat down across from her at the table. "When did your father tell you about these basement boxes?"

Emma's mind raced. She had to be careful not to say anything that would make Marcus suspect.

"A few weeks ago," she lied. "He was telling me about when he was little and used to explore City Hall. He said Judge Brennan kept old magazines and stuff down here."

Marcus nodded slowly, but his eyes never left Emma's face. She felt like he was trying to read her thoughts.

"Emma, I need to ask you some very important questions," Marcus said. "And I need you to tell me the truth."

"Okay," Emma said, even though every part of her wanted to run away.

"Your father has been hiding some very dangerous things. Papers and pictures that could hurt a lot of innocent people. Do you know where he keeps them?"

Emma shook her head. "My dad doesn't talk to me about work stuff. Mom says it's too grown-up for me."

"But you're a smart girl, Emma. Much smarter than most adults give you credit for." Marcus leaned forward. "I bet you notice things. I bet you see where your father goes, what he brings home."

Emma tried to look confused. "I don't understand. My dad just watches TV and takes his medicine. He's been really sick."

Marcus's face got darker. "Emma, I know you found something down here tonight. Something your father hid. I need you to show me where it is."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Emma said, but her voice came out squeaky and scared.

Marcus stood up and started walking around the table. Emma felt trapped, like a mouse being ringed by a cat.

"Let me explain something to you," Marcus said in a voice that made Emma's skin crawl. "There are some very bad people who want to hurt your family. The only way I can protect you is if you help me find what your father hid."

Emma knew Marcus was lying, but she also knew she had to be very careful. One wrong word and he might hurt her or Jake or her dad.

"I really don't know about any hidden stuff," Emma said. "Can I go home now? My mom is probably worried."

Marcus stopped walking and stared at her. "Your mother isn't worried, Emma. Because your mother thinks you're sleeping safely in your bed right now."

Emma felt cold fear run down her spine. How did Marcus know her mother wasn't looking for her?

"I think you're lying to me," Marcus continued. "And lying to me is very dangerous."

Emma's hands were shaking now, but she tried to keep her words steady. "I'm not lying. I just came here for comic books."

That's when Marcus did something that scared Emma. He smiled.

But it wasn't a nice smile. It was the kind of smile that sharks probably had before they ate people.

"Emma, do you know what happened to Sarah Martinez?" Marcus asked quietly.

Emma nodded. Everyone in town knew that Tommy's girlfriend had died.

"Sarah Martinez died because she found something she wasn't meant to find. Just like you found something tonight."

Emma's stomach felt sick. "I didn't find anything!"

"Then you won't mind if I search you," Marcus said, reaching toward her.

Emma jumped up from the table and backed away. "Don't touch me!"

"Give me what you found, Emma, and I'll let you go home safely."

Emma's mind was racing. She had to think of something fast. That's when she remembered something her dad had shown her months ago.

The emergency broadcast method.

City Hall had an old system that could send messages to every radio and TV in town in case of disasters like storms or floods. The control panel was right there on the wall behind Marcus.

But she needed to distract him first.

"Okay," Emma said, appearing to give up. "I did find something. But it's not down here."

Marcus's eyes lit up with joy. "Where is it?" "Upstairs in Judge Brennan's office. I hid it in his desk drawer."

Marcus grabbed Emma's arm, not kindly. "Show me."

As they walked toward the steps, Emma's heart pounded with her plan. She had to time this perfectly.

When they got to the emergency broadcast panel, Emma faked to trip and fall against the wall.

"Ow!" she cried out, hitting the panel with her arm.

The panel lit up with red lights, and Emma quickly pressed the "ACTIVATE" button while Marcus was helping her up.

"Are you hurt?" Marcus asked, but Emma could tell he didn't really care.

"I'm okay," Emma said, hoping Marcus hadn't noticed what she'd done.

They continued up the stairs, but Emma knew the broadcast system was now live. Anything said near the basement mics would go out to every radio and TV in Millbrook.

When they got to Judge Brennan's office, Marcus pushed Emma toward the desk. "Show me where you hid it."

Emma opened desk drawers and pretended to search, but her real plan was just starting.

She needed to get Marcus to admit his crimes while the whole town was listening.

"Mr. Webb," Emma said innocently, "why did you really kill Sarah Martinez?"

Marcus spun around, his face angry and shocked. "What did you say?"

"I heard you talking on the phone downstairs," Emma lied. "You said Sarah found something she wasn't meant to find. Just like me."

Marcus's face went white. He looked at Emma with new fear.

"You didn't hear that," he said dangerously.

"I also heard you say you've been pretending to be FBI for twenty years," Emma continued, her voice getting louder. "And that you killed Jake's real father."

Marcus pulled out a gun and pointed it at Emma.

But Emma wasn't done.

"Is it true that you're not really trying to protect our town?" she asked, her voice now loud enough to carry clearly to the basement mics. "Is it true that you've been the one hurting people all along?"

Marcus was breathing hard, trying to decide what to do.

"You're going to get me in a lot of trouble, little girl," he said.

"I'm already in trouble," Emma said bravely. "But at least now everyone in Millbrook knows the truth about you."

That's when Marcus Webb realized what Emma had done.

His face went from angry to terrified as he knew that every word he'd said was being broadcast live to the entire town.

"You clever little--" Marcus started to say.

But he was stopped by the sound of car doors slamming outside City Hall.

Lots of car doors.

Emma ran to the window and saw something beautiful.

People were coming out of their houses all over downtown. People who had heard the program and finally understood what was happening in their town.

But as Emma watched the crowd gathering outside, she heard Marcus Webb's words behind her, cold and final.

"It doesn't matter," he said. "Even if they know the truth, they can't show anything. And you're never going to testify against me."

Emma turned around and saw Marcus pointing his gun straight at her heart.

But just as his finger started to squeeze the trigger, the office door burst open.

"Emma!" came Jake's voice.

And Emma realized that her message had done more than alert the town.

It had brought her cousin Jake running to save her.

But it had also told Marcus Webb exactly where to find both of them.