“Get your hands off me!” Patricia screamed, twisting her body to break their grip.

“Ethan!” she yelled toward the empty hallway. “Ethan, do something!”

The officers forced her hands behind her back.

The loud metallic click of the handcuffs echoed through the quiet lobby.

Courtney began to weep loudly as the second officer secured her wrists behind her back.

“You will pay for this, Hannah!” Patricia spat as they began to lead her toward the exit.

“You and your pathetic father!”

I watched them go, my body shaking with a mix of relief and terror.

My father put his heavy hand on my shoulder.

“They’re gone, Hannah,” he whispered. “They can’t hurt you anymore.”

But I knew it wasn’t over.

My phone buzzed again in my hand.

I looked down at the screen, my breath catching in my throat.

It was a new message from Ethan.

*I’m in the hospital parking garage,* the text read.

*I know what you did to my mother.*

*If you don’t hand over that recording right now, you will never see Owen again.*

I held the phone out, my fingers trembling so hard the screen blurred.