Chapter 12 - THE NIGHT EMMA DISAPPEARED
Z
Three days before the special board meeting, Emma did not come home from school.
At 3:42 p.m., Nathan was installing cabinet doors when his phone rang.
Emma's school.
He answered casually.
By the end of the call, the screwdriver had fallen from his hand.
“She what?”
Emma had attended every class.
She had boarded no bus.
Her grandmother had waited at the usual pickup location.
Emma never appeared.
Nathan called her phone.
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Voicemail.
Again.
Nothing.
By 3:48, he was in the truck.
By 3:49, he was calling Catherine.
She answered during a meeting.
“Nathan?”
“Emma's missing.”
Everything stopped.
“What do you mean missing?”
“I mean nobody knows where she is.”
“I’m coming.”
He drove too fast.
He knew he was driving too fast.
He could not make himself slow down.
Every terrible instinct a father possessed woke at once.
Accident.
Stranger.
Abduction.
Hospital.
He reached the school and found Emma's grandmother crying beside the principal.
Security cameras showed Emma leaving through the west gate at 3:06.
Alone.
Her backpack over one shoulder.
She had looked upset.
Police were called.
Nathan answered questions.
Friends were contacted.
Nobody knew where she had gone.
Then Catherine arrived.
No driver.
No coat.
She had apparently left the office so quickly she forgot it.
Nathan saw her cross the parking lot.
For one second, relief almost knocked him over.
Then shame followed.
He should not need another person that badly.
But he did.
Catherine reached him.
“Anything?”
“No.”
She took his hands.
“They'll find her.”
“You don't know that.”
“No.”
Her honesty helped more than false reassurance.
She squeezed harder.
“But we will keep looking until we do.”
Police traced Emma's phone.
Off.
Last signal downtown.
Nathan went pale.
“Why downtown?”
Catherine looked toward the school map posted near the office.
Then something clicked.
“Wait.”
“What?”
“The astronomy book.”
Nathan stared.
“What about it?”
“There was a place she wanted to visit.”
He remembered.
The old Cincinnati Observatory.
But that was not downtown.
Catherine shook her head.
“No. The planetarium exhibit.”
A temporary exhibit had opened at the science center near Union Terminal.
Emma had mentioned it repeatedly.
Nathan grabbed his keys.
Police were notified.
They drove.
Traffic became unbearable.
Nathan hit the steering wheel.
“Move.”
Catherine watched him unravel.
She had seen Nathan sad.
Angry.
Scared.
But never helpless.
“She's smart.”
“She is twelve.”
“She knows the city.”
“She is twelve.”
“She has money?”
“Twenty dollars, maybe.”
“Transit?”
Nathan stopped.
Emma knew the Metro route.
She had used it with Laura when younger.
The realization hurt.
At 5:11 p.m., they reached Union Terminal.
The science center was closing.
Security had not seen Emma.
Nathan's face collapsed.
Catherine refused to let panic take control.
“What would she do if the exhibit were closed?”
“I don't know.”
“Yes, you do.”
He stared at her.
“You know her better than anyone.”
Nathan forced himself to think.
Emma angry.
Emma hurt.
Emma needing somewhere to go.
Not somewhere exciting.
Somewhere connected.
Then he remembered.
Laura.
A photograph.
Five-year-old Emma sitting on a bench beneath the stars projected onto the planetarium ceiling.
The old viewing terrace behind the building.
Laura used to take Emma there after appointments at the hospital because admission outside was free.
Nathan started running.
Catherine followed.
Behind the building, beyond a path dusted with old snow, stood the terrace.
Empty benches.
Metal railings.
City lights.
And one small figure sitting at the far end.
Nathan stopped so abruptly Catherine nearly collided with him.
Emma sat with her knees against her chest.
Nathan crossed the distance.
She looked up.
Her eyes were red.
“Dad—”
He dropped to his knees and pulled her against him.
Hard.
Too hard.
“I can't breathe.”
“Good.”
“Dad.”
He released enough for her to breathe.
Then anger arrived.
“What were you thinking?”
Emma flinched.
Nathan saw it and stopped.
Catherine stood back.
This belonged to them first.
“I turned my phone off.”
“I know.”
“I didn't want people reading where I was.”
“Who?”
Emma looked at Catherine.
“Reporters.”
Silence.
Nathan's blood went cold.
“What reporters?”
“A woman was outside school.”
Catherine stepped closer.
“What did she say?”
“She knew my name. She asked if Dad was marrying you because Cole Woodworks was failing.”
Nathan closed his eyes.
“She followed you?”
“No. I went out the other gate.”
“Why didn't you tell a teacher?”
“I didn't want them calling Dad.”
Nathan stared.
Emma started crying.
“Every time something happens because of Ms. Bennett, you look scared.”
Catherine's face broke.
Emma saw it.
“No. I didn't mean—”
Catherine crouched.
“You're allowed to say what you feel.”
Emma wiped her nose.
“I like you.”
“I like you too.”
“A lot.”
Catherine smiled sadly.
“But everything got weird.”
“I know.”
“People talk about Dad. They talk about Mom. They're outside school.”
Catherine's eyes filled.
“I’m sorry.”
Nathan looked at her.
“This isn't your fault.”
“It comes from my life.”
Emma interrupted.
“Stop.”
They both turned.
“You're doing the thing again.”
“What thing?”
“Dad acts like he has to protect everybody. You act like everything bad around you proves you should be alone.”
Neither adult spoke.
Emma rolled her eyes through tears.
“Adults are exhausting.”
Nathan laughed once.
Then pulled her close again.
“You never disappear again.”
“I know.”
“Say it.”
“I will never disappear again.”
“Phone stays on.”
“Yes.”
“You call me if a reporter breathes within two blocks of you.”
“That's dramatic.”
“Emma.”
“Yes.”
Catherine stood.
Her phone rang.
Marco.
She answered.
His voice was urgent.
Her expression changed.
“When?”
Nathan looked up.
“What?”
She ended the call.
“The reporter wasn't random.”
“How do you know?”
“Hotel security identified her from a photograph.”
Catherine's voice became cold.
“She works for Vale Strategic Communications.”
Richard's daughter's company.
Nathan stood.
“He sent someone after Emma?”
“We can't prove Richard ordered it.”
“I don't care.”
“I do.”
Catherine's eyes had changed.
Not frightened now.
Focused.
“Because if we can prove it, he isn't just losing a board vote.”
Nathan stared.
May you like
Catherine looked toward Emma.
“He's going to answer for all of it.”
