Page 96 of Her Final Hours
Dr. Blake glanced off momentarily, her gaze distant, before raising a finger and excusing herself from the screen. Noah could hear the faint sound of a door closing, creating a privacy barrier. Moments later, she returned, her expression weighted with the burden of the new trauma she had unraveled.
“Sorry about that. It’s still fresh for her,” she said. “It was a trauma for her to relive it in her mind. From what I’ve been able to extract, Joseph Collins — her father — decided to profit from Chloe, selling her off to someone within the trafficking ring. Before he could follow through on that promise, Payton became aware of this, and in an attempt to save her daughter, she devised a plan to escape with Chloe.”
Noah’s brow knitted together, his mind grappling with the situation’s complexity. “Escape? But how, if he had held them both captive all these years?”
Dr. Blake took a sip of water, her thoughtful gaze meeting his troubled eyes. She paused, gathering her thoughts before providing an answer that would further unravel the enigma surrounding their harrowing ordeal. “She earned his trust,” she began. “From my experience as a therapist, a form of Stockholm syndrome developed at some point — a means of survival. From my work with other survivors who escaped their captors, they had told me that there were times when they were left alone and had the opportunity to leave, but they didn’t. It’s hard for any of us to understand, but it happens. I believe the push for Payton to move beyond her deep-rootedfear of Joseph came from a greater fear of what would happen to Chloe.”
Noah squinted, trying to comprehend the complexities. “And Chloe? How did she learn so much without school?” he asked, his curiosity piqued.
Dr. Blake nodded. “Payton taught her. They also had access to a TV, and Joseph managed to obtain educational material. It’s difficult for us to grasp the bond that can be created between an abductee and their captor, but as strange as it is, it exists. It’s a form of coping with an extreme situation.”
Noah’s gaze drifted outside, where Mia sat by the dock. The thought of what could have happened to her had he not managed to bring her back safely had plagued him with sleepless nights since her return. He refocused, wanting to know more.
“And then?” he asked.
“They didn’t get far. It seems Payton decided to take the money. She must have known the others would punish Joseph. Maybe it was some form of payback. Anyway, Joseph caught up with them in a cemetery. There was a confrontation between him and Payton. Chloe, in an act of desperation to protect her mother from his assault, stabbed him. While still being strangled by Joseph, Payton screamed for Chloe to run. The details after that are still a blur for Chloe. She only remembers being found on the tracks, that’s it.”
“So, she doesn’t know if her mother is dead?” he questioned.
Dr. Blake shook her head. “No, she doesn’t. That’s why I reached out to Detective McKenzie and Lieutenant Legacy. We hope to gather more information about the cemetery and the events that transpired there.”
“What about the names etched into her skin? Do you think she did that or Joseph?”
“She hasn’t told me but if I was to take a stab in the dark, Ithink she did it herself so that every time Joseph or any other man looked at her, they would be faced with those they have murdered.”
“You think they’re all dead?” Noah asked.
“Don’t you?”
There was a pause.
“Yes, however, I thought Payton was dead all these years. Until we know otherwise, we’ll continue to search.” Noah paused before continuing, “And the money?”
“No idea. Again. We’re still working with her.” Athena breathed in, collecting her thoughts. “Anyway,” she continued, “the emotions are raw right now. In a few days, I will take Chloe to meet Esther, Payton’s mother, to prepare her for her transition from the farm back to some semblance of a normal life.”
Noah nodded, grateful for the information she’d shared. “Thank you, doctor, for telling me,” he said.
“Oh, before I go. I meant to say that… with all that Mia has gone through, if you would like to bring her to the farm, even if it’s just for the weekend, I would be happy to talk to her. These events can leave quite the imprint on a person’s psyche.”
Gratitude swelled, and appreciation for the support and understanding she offered. Noah thanked her again before ending the call, his mind swirling with the weight of the revelations and the need to protect and heal those he cared about most.
Noah looked out at Mia, then turned and walked into another room, heading straight to the closet where he retrieved his jacket. Opening it, he reached inside and pulled out the pad of paper that contained the fragmented words Chloe had muttered in her sleep. At the time, the words had seemed nonsensical, but now, with the revelations he had just learned, perhaps they held some meaning.
Just as his thoughts swirled, the doorbell rang, interrupting his concentration.
“Noah!” Ed’s voice echoed through the house.
“I’ll get it,” he replied, still engrossed, scanning the words on the paper. He reached the main door, opening it to find Callie standing on the porch, out of uniform. Behind her, McKenzie juggled several plates of food, making his way over.
“Hurry up, McKenzie,” Callie urged, a wry smile dancing across her face. She looked back. “Noah, I hope we aren’t late. We were waiting on some baked goods. Did you know that our Scotsman here is quite the chef?”
Noah grinned.
“Aye, and she’s quite the slave master,” McKenzie playfully teased. Stepping forward, Noah offered his help.
“Here, let me give you a hand with those.”
McKenzie continued. “See, Thorne? That’s called helping someone out.”
