Emily’s Voice
Chapter 08 - Emily’s Voice
Rachel had one more thing.
A voicemail.
Emily had called Caleb’s old number four days earlier.
Rachel saved the recording.
Emily’s voice was weak.
“Caleb, I don’t know if this number still works. Victor found me. Luke has the photograph. If he reaches Jax, tell him I’m sorry. Tell him Luke needs family.”
A sound interrupted.
A door closing.
Then Emily whispered an address.
Nora recognized it.
An abandoned motel outside Reno.
Victor once used it for club meetings.
Maria contacted Nevada authorities.
They found Emily there.
Alive.
Weak.
Terrified.
But alive.
Victor was gone.
When Luke entered her hospital room, Emily held him for nearly five minutes.
Then she saw Jax.
She began crying.
“I’m sorry.”
Jax stood in the doorway.
“For which part?”
“All of it.”
He wanted to be angry.
He had earned anger.
But Emily looked older.
Tired.
Nineteen years of fear lived in her face.
“You should have trusted me.”
“I know.”
“You should have told me about Caleb.”
“I know.”
“You let me think you hated me.”
Emily closed her eyes.
“I know.”
Jax looked at Luke.
The boy was holding his mother’s hand.
Jax finally said, “We can argue later.”
Emily almost smiled.
“You always said that.”
“And we never did.”
“No.”
“Maybe that was our problem.”
For the first time in nineteen years, they laughed together.
It was small.
Broken.
But real.
Then Maria entered.
May you like
Victor Kane had been located.
And he was driving toward Miller’s Diner.
