Page 62 of Echoes From Within
“You’re a grownup,” she reminds him.
“Which is why I know that you’re telling the truth. Grownups are gross.”
“Good news,” one of the men says as they return. “She can stay here. Technically speaking, the paperwork discharging her from this location hasn’t been sent through yet so we’re just going to let her stay until you file your paperwork to become foster parents. Since her staying here was a favor for the Mayor, he’s having your case moved to the top of the list and everything should be pushed through in about a week.”
“Yay,” Allie shouts causing us all to laugh.
I may have had a rough couple of years, but my future is starting to look promising.
Chapter Twenty-Two
Sophia
“Can I play with these?”
Allie is standing next to my office desk with a box of Legos.
“Travis bought those specifically for you, remember?” I tell her.
“I know, but I didn’t know if I was allowed to play with them whenever I wanted.”
“They’re yours to play with as much as you want,” I tell her. “Just not in the middle of the floor, please. Those suckers hurt when stepped on.”
Allie hops a couple of times before rushing to the table I set up for her in the corner of my office. Yesterday was an emotional day for her. I’m so thankful she’s allowed to stay here while we wait to see if we’re approved to foster her. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around everything and I have a feeling the truth of the matter won't kick in until we get her to Travis’s house.
I mean, our house.
Smiling, I blindly reach for my phone when it buzzes. I’m still wearing the same clothes I wore yesterday because I have yet to go home. Travis had to go train some fighters and is returning a little later with some clothes so I can take a shower.
I unlock my phone and open the unread message. I don’t recognize the number but that’s not an uncommon thing since I use this phone for work purposes as well as personal.
The second the message opens, I can feel my stomach turning. Without clicking the image to enlarge it I can already see blood everywhere. Blindly, I click the image. It’s a picture of two people, a man, and a woman, dead in their bed, and a smiling man holding a bundle in his arms standing next to them.
I glance over to make sure Allie isn’t paying attention before I scroll down to read the message.
Hello, Seven. I took the liberty of retrieving your daughter. Don’t worry about the ones who bought her. They’re dead. If you want her back all you have to do is meet me at Sydney’s in one hour. There will be an unmarked white van in the back of the parking lot. Simply get it so we can have a chat. Then, we’ll call and wait for your boyfriend to retrieve you both. If you are not in that van in one hour, not only will I kill your daughter, but I’ll also kill the young girl currently playing with blocks in your office. One hour, Seven. Don’t even bother sending out a message to your boy toy. I don’t want him to get here too early. And trust me, I’ll know if you do.
Fear courses through my body. This has to be Malachi. I rack my brain to try and remember if I ever saw his face. I know that I was in the same room with him once, but I was on the doctor's table and my eyes were squeezed shut in fear and humiliation.
“Hey sweetheart,” I say to Allie as softly as I can. “Listen, I need to run out to the store.”
“Can I come?”
“Not just yet, sweetie. How about you pack up your toys and go out with John in the security office until I get back.”
“Okay,” she says happily. “I wonder if he’ll let me check the cameras again.”
Someone has obviously been in this room and placed a camera somewhere. Allie only started playing with her Legos moments before I received that message. When I get back, I’m going to need to talk to John and see if he can go over the feed to see who has been in my office lately.
If I’m able to get back.
“Hey John,” I smile as we walk into his office. “Would you mind if Allie hung out until I get back? I need to run to the store.”
“Of course, she can hang out with us,” he says. “The guys love having her in here, don’t we?”
The three men cheered and Allie laughed.
“Alright. I’ll try and be back in an hour. If Travis gets back before me tell him that I’m going to stop by Xander’s house to grab the jacket he left the other day.”