Rose Ward's face shifted, her feelings impossible to hide. "You..."

She couldn't stop thinking about the video, the shocking sight of bright red blood spilling from Emily Blair's pale arm. Turning her head away, she whispered, “No, it's not that..."

The officer gently patted her shoulder. “You can deny it, you can say no, but I need you to hear me out."

Rose kept her gaze down, her breaths coming rough and heavy.

The officer's voice was calm but firm. "I hope you understand who I am. I'm a police officer. My job is to protect people. I've been trained for this, I've handled all kinds of cases. We know what we're doing. I need you to trust us. We're on your side. Please, let us help you. Don't let fear make you overestimate the kidnapper. Trust in what we can do."

"I've dealt with cases like this before. Kidnappers always say not to call the police, but every time, the victims have come back safe and sound. I need you to believe me. This time won't be any different."

Rose's fists tightened, her chest rising and falling with each breath.

The officer let go of her arm and handed her a phone. "If you're willing, I'll reach out to you on this phone in about an hour. Take that time. Think about whether you want to trust us or keep handling this alone. We'll give you space. I'll check in after an

hour."

Rose stared at the phone, lost and uncertain.

"Don't worry," the officer said softly. "This phone's been specially set up. There's no way the kidnapper can trace it. I'm not in uniform, and I've checked the area. No one suspicious is around. I promise, the kidnapper won't know we talked. You're safe.”

Rose looked up, and her eyes glistened with unshed tears.

The

nodder stepped back and

nodded at the folder Bose was holding. That's

something the

kidnapper told you to destroy, isn't it?"

Rose stayed silent.

"If that's what they asked, go ahead and do it. Right now, keeping the victim safe comes first. I won't argue with you on that."

With a final nod, the officer and her colleagues got in their car and drove away.

Rose stood by the car door, closing her eyes and letting out a shaky breath.

A few steps away, the lawyer was helping her grandmother walk over.

"Maybe because you're Emily Blair's friends, you're too caught up to think straight,” the lawyer said gently.

Rose opened her eyes and looked at him. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He spoke quietly, his tone serious. "In cases like this, kidnappers always say not to involve the police. But honestly, most of the time, even if someone does call the police, the kidnappers never find out. The police know the risks. They're not careless. They won't do anything that would put the victim in more danger. They'll investigate quietly. And kidnappers aren't all-powerful. Unless they have someone on the inside, they usually have no idea if the victim's family has gone to the police.”

FindNovel.net

Rose's eyes flickered with uncertainty. The lawyer continued, "I heard everything the officer said."

He nodded at the phone in Rose's

hand. "The police have promised to

protect you. Maybe it's worth

Se it gives

trusting them, just this

us a real shot instead of letting the kidnappers control everything."