Page 53 of Defending A Promise
“I need you both to calm down. Remember, he’s delusional. There may not be an actual toy.” She says to both of us. “You need to answer him. Don’t lose contact here, Riley.”
I look down at the message trying to figure out how to answer him.
Riley: I have it here with me. Tell me where you are, and I’ll meet you. I’ll bring the toy so you can give it to him.
Unknown: LIAR! I know it’s here someplace.
Riley: No. I have it. I swear.
I text that message, but he doesn’t respond. “Now what?” I ask the detective.
She looks at the guy with the headphones, “He’s using a burner. I can’t get any kind of signal.” He looks defeated and it pulls all the air out of my lungs.
Detective Smith shows up with a laptop and sets it up on the kitchen counter. “Riley, Declan. I want you both to watch this video and tell me what may or may not look right or where you think you felt ‘off’.” He uses air quotes. “Okay?”
We both nod and stand next to each other to watch the video.
“I’ve pulled it up from where you exited the building, and you meet up in the parking lot.” The detective hits a button on the keyboard and the video starts playing. “There’s no sound on the outside cameras but look around and let me know if it triggers anything. Take your time. You can watch this as much as you need to.”
The both of us watch it twice, but nothing seems to be out of the norm and there are no strangers wandering around or people sitting in their cars.
I shake my head, “Nothing.”
Declan watches it one more time, but he doesn’t see anything either.
“Do you remember how you were feeling when you were walking out of the building and standing there talking to Declan?” the detective asks me.
Declan looks at me with raised eyebrows. “Anything?”
“I remember feeling a bit uneasy, but I don’t know why,” I answer. “But I’ve felt uneasy ever since this asshole showed up.” I put my head in my hands as my headache is getting bigger and bigger.
“Okay. Did you feel the same uneasiness when you walked into the building? Here’s that video.” He hits a few keys and another video plays showing me and the real estate agent meeting and then walking into the building.
“Play that again,” I demand.
“What is it, Riley?” Declan asks as he watches the video over my shoulder.
“I don’t know. I remember feeling… excited? If that makes any sense.” I turn to him.
“Okay, so you felt excited – happy excited or nervous excited?” Detective Kowalski asks me.
I look over at her as I try to remember. “Happy excited. I’ve just signed a big contract, and my business is about to expand, and I was getting an office so I was ready when it did.” I look up at Declan. “I was happy here; still on alert, but happy.” I point at the paused video.
The detectives look at each other with a knowing look. “Riley, did you see anyone else inside the building? Anyone at all?”
I think for a second, “Yes. I did. There was a security guard at the front desk.”
Detective Kowalski dials a number on her phone as Detective Smith goes over to talk to his chief who is still coordinating things from the other side of the room. “I need the security guard that was on duty yesterday at Hibiscus Commons found andpulled in on suspicion of kidnapping….yes…so get the warrant, I don’t care who you need to interrupt.”
I watch the detective walk away and turn to Declan. “What’s happening?
“They may have found who took Nicholas.”
Chapter 22
Declan
As we sit here and wait for word from the officers that have gone looking for the receptionist and the security guard, I keep reviewing the security footage from yesterday at Hibiscus Commons.
