Chapter 8 - The Cornered Rat
I instantly grabbed the heavy brass lamp from the bedside table and stepped in front of Emma's bed.
The door pushed open slowly, and the dim hallway light illuminated Daniel’s silhouette.
He stepped into the suite, his hair disheveled and his usually expensive suit looking wrinkled and stained with sweat.
"You think you are so smart, don't you, Sarah?" he sneered, closing and locking the door behind him.
He pulled a heavy steel crowbar from inside his coat and tapped it menacingly against his palm.
"You froze the house, you ruined my deal, and now Chloe is threatening to leave me because the money is gone," he spat.
I did not move an inch, keeping my grip tight on the brass lamp as I stared him down.
"You brought this entirely on yourself, Daniel, by being a terrible father and a greedy coward," I replied coldly.
He took a step closer, his eyes completely wild with desperate anger.
"If I leave this room without that USB drive and your signature on a settlement check, I am going to prison," he said.
He raised the crowbar slightly, his gaze shifting briefly toward the bed where Emma was sleeping.
"I won't let you take my freedom, Sarah, even if it means I have to cash in that life insurance policy tonight."
I felt a surge of pure maternal rage, but I kept my voice perfectly level.
"You really are stupid, Daniel," I said, slowly reaching into my blazer pocket with my free hand.
I pulled out my phone, turning the screen around so he could clearly see the active broadcast icon.
"I am currently livestreaming this entire interaction directly to a secure server at the FBI field office," I revealed.
Daniel froze, the color completely draining from his face as he stared at the red recording light.
"They have been monitoring my location and audio ever since I filed the federal espionage complaint this afternoon," I added.
Right on cue, the faint, wailing sound of multiple police sirens began echoing from the city streets far below the window.
Daniel dropped the crowbar on the plush carpet, the metallic thud sounding like a gavel falling in a courtroom.
He stumbled backward toward the door, panic finally breaking through his arrogant facade.
"This isn't over, Sarah," he stammered, fumbling with the heavy deadbolt.
He managed to unlock the door and sprinted down the hallway just as the elevator pinged to announce the arrival of law enforcement.
I locked the door behind him and finally let out a shaking breath, knowing he could not run forever.
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But as I turned back to the bed to check on my daughter, my heart stopped completely.
Emma's bed was completely empty, and the sliding glass door to the hotel balcony was wide open.
