Chapter 20 - The Shadow

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I stared at the glowing screen. The phone vibrated in my palm, a steady, rhythmic pulse that mirrored the sudden pounding of my heart.

Unknown Caller.

"Who is it?" Emily asked, glancing over from the steering wheel as the light turned green.

"Probably spam," I lied, my voice remarkably steady.

I hit the red button, sending the call to voicemail. I slipped the phone back into my purse, but my hands were trembling slightly.

Daniel was in a supermax prison, locked down twenty-three hours a day. He had no access to the outside world, no contraband cell phones, no internet. Detective Vance had assured me his communication was heavily monitored.

But Eleanor was still out there. And she had billions of dollars at her disposal.

Five minutes later, a notification popped up on the screen. A new voicemail.

I waited until Emily dropped me off at my new, highly secure apartment building. I walked inside, locking the triple deadbolts on my door. I set my bag on the counter, staring at the phone as if it were a live grenade.

I pressed play.

The audio was thick with static, the sound of a recorded, automated prison line. But beneath the static, there was a faint, rhythmic sound.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

It was the sound of a heavy rope swinging back and forth against a wooden beam.

Then, the line went dead.

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I didn't scream. I didn't cry. I simply walked over to my kitchen drawer, pulled out the sleek, loaded 9mm handgun I had legally purchased three months ago, and set it gently on the counter.

Daniel might be locked in a cage, but the war wasn't completely over. And this time, I wasn't the one who was going to bleed.