Chapter 7 - VICTOR WAS NOT THE ONLY MAN EMILY FEARED
Victor Hale was arrested on unrelated fraud charges within two weeks of the ledger discovery.
But the deeper mystery did not resolve.
He denied ordering Hannah’s death.
Denied kidnapping Emily.
Denied knowing Luca.
Then federal investigators found communications between Victor and Malcolm Price.
Price had overseen trial safety.
He also controlled a private security vendor.
The same vendor employed a man named Owen Grant.
Luca recognized Grant’s photograph instantly.
“That’s the man from the motel.”
James leaned forward.
“What motel?”
“The last one.”
Luca said Grant came to their room six months earlier.
Emily saw him through the window.
She grabbed Luca.
They escaped through a rear staircase.
After that, they slept outside more often.
Then, three weeks before Luca reached James’s bakery, Emily disappeared.
Again.
This time from a homeless encampment outside Philadelphia.
Luca woke up and she was gone.
Her blanket remained.
Her shoes were gone.
No struggle.
No note.
May you like
That frightened Mara.
It looked different from the first disappearance.
