Chapter 8: The Missing Witness
Three days later, the news got worse.
The former housekeeper who had testified about seeing the abuse—who had been in protective custody—was gone. Her apartment was empty. Her phone was dead. All her bank cards had been untouched.
"She didn’t run," Marcus said, reviewing security footage. "Two men in unmarked cars picked her up at dawn. They knew exactly where she was staying."
Nathan’s lawyer called an emergency meeting. "Victoria’s brother has ties to private security firms with very loose morals. If they make her disappear, there’s no one left to back up the children’s testimony. The judge could throw the whole case out."
That night, Emma woke screaming from a nightmare. When Nathan held her, she clung tight and whispered:
"Mommy used to say she had friends who could make people vanish. She said if anyone told on her… they’d never be seen again."
