Page 65 of Her Final Hours
The line went dead again, leaving Noah and Gretchen in a state of helplessness. The weight of the situation felt heavy, but he refused to succumb to despair.
“I’ll get Ethan to bed; he needs to sleep, he has school tomorrow.”
“He won’t let him leave this house,” Noah said. “And by thelook of the weather outside, it will be another snow day for sure.”
“Still, it’s late.”
Gretchen left the room, and his mind focused on finding a way to outsmart the abductors and bring her home safely.
22
Thursday, March 22, 7:14 a.m.
Morning came, and with it, the sound of the phone ringing. Noah, disoriented from a restless night, reached over and picked it up, his mind still flooded with the previous night’s events. Almost immediately, his heart started pounding faster as he heard the voice on the other end.
“Did you know you roll a lot when you sleep?” the voice said, his chilling tone laced with familiarity. Noah rolled out of bed, wiping his tired eyes, trying to collect himself. “Have you thought about our conversation last night?” the voice asked.
Noah took a deep breath, his mind racing with the weight of the situation. “There are some things that will be expected today,” he replied, his voice filled with apprehension. “I’m expected to take her to the psychologist’s home. Those I work for will expect me to follow up on the leads from yesterday. Any diversion from that, and they will know something is wrong.”
“Hmm,” the abductor mused, sensing Noah’s resistance.
“Now I can….”
“Stop! Just stop,” the man said in a firm tone. “I hear you are saying what people close to you might expect, but I don’t hear you saying what you know is expected by me. Are their demands more important than mine?”
“No. I…”
“Perhaps you don’t understand the gravity of the situation. Maybe I should make it clearer.”
Noah’s panic surged as he realized what that could mean. He quickly interrupted, desperate to buy some time. “Wait. I’m not saying I can’t do it. I need time to think this out,” he pleaded.
“Okay. You have… five minutes,” the man said sternly before abruptly hanging up.
“Hold on…” Noah tried to protest, but the line was already dead. “Shit!” He gripped the phone tightly, his knuckles turning white, before leaving the phone on the bed and hurrying into the bathroom.
Leaning against the wall, Noah took a few deep breaths, trying to steady himself. He splashed his face with cold water from the sink, hoping the shock would help clear his thoughts. He needed to alert Callie and McKenzie, but as he stared into the mirror, he couldn’t shake the feeling of being watched. Every second ticking over intensified his sense of urgency.
Noah desperately wanted to regain control of the situation, to find a way to appease his daughter’s captors while ensuring her safety and their capture. Just as the pressure became almost unbearable, the phone rang once again. Noah dashed back into his room and picked it up, his voice laced with tension. “Hello?”
The man’s voice came through the receiver, cold and unyielding “Time’s up. What’s it going to be?” he demanded
Noah grimaced. “I’ll make it happen,” he said, his voice steady despite the turmoil.
“Good. I want you to know I don’t want to do this. It’s not personal. Hell, in another lifetime, you and I could probably be friends. We’re a lot more alike than you think. Now, listen… carefully. Here’s what you’re going to do,” the abductor began, outlining the precise instructions. “Take the cell phone with you. Take your Bronco. Don’t go anywhere else or talk to anyone else. I am listening. I am watching. Go and get the girl and bring her to the location that I will text to you on that phone, then—”
“I can’t.’
“What did you say?” the man replied slowly.
“There are two state troopers parked outside where she is who are expecting to follow me this morning to the farm of the doctor.”
The call went dead.
Panic gripped him. Had he said the wrong thing? Would he kill Mia? Noah paced, fear gripping him and threatening to suffocate him.
Minutes rolled over.
Two, three. Almost five minutes passed before the phone rang again.
