My Peace (Beautifully Broken 5)
Page 60
My phone vibrates in my hand, and there is a picture of Zu, asleep in the backseat of a car. She has her tiger with her.
I am relieved for one brief second. At least she is alive.
“What do you want?”
“There are a couple things,” the voice tells me. “First, you cannot call the police, or she’s dead. Got it?”
My heart is pulsing high in my throat and I can barely make my vocal chords work.
“Yes.”
“Next, you will get on your plane, and you will fly to Angel Bay. To your home on the lake.”
“Why?”
“Don’t ask questions. You will go alone.”
“Ok.”
“Mila will not call the police. If she does, I will kill her, too. You will take the box with you. The one you just found on your desk.”
I’m silent and shocked, and how did he know?
“Say yes or no.”
I move my lips. “Yes.”
“Good. I do believe your daughter will make it through this just fine. All you have to do is behave.”
I’m silent, and I can’t breathe. Mila is clinging to my arm, trying to listen, but she can’t hear anything. I see the frustration and desperation in her eyes.
“Say that you’re on your way. Your plane is waiting for you.”
“I’m on my way.”
“Say that you won’t call the police.”
“I won’t call the police. Don’t hurt my daughter.”
“Then behave.”
The phone goes dead, and Mila is staring at me, and I stand frozen with the phone in my hand.
“What’s happening?” she begs. “What’s happening?”
“Leroy Ellison,” I finally manage to say. “He’s arranged this somehow. I have to go to Angel Bay. I think that’s where they are taking her.”
“Why?” Mila cries out. “I’m calling the police.”
She grabs at my phone, but I don’t allow it. “You can’t,” I tell her simply. “He’ll kill you and Zuzu if you do. I have to do as he says. He has our baby, Mi.”
“You can’t go,” she tells me firmly. “He’ll kill you.”
“If I don’t, he’ll kill Zuzu. I know he’ll do it.”
Mila drops into the chair, her legs unable to hold her. Her face is drained of all color. I grab her and pull her to me.
“I have to go. I will make this ok, Mila. I swear to God.”