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Chapter 19

Hope; it's the one thing that can keep someone with nothing looking ahead to the future with anticipation. It's the one thing that helps someone in a desperate situation get up in the morning.

It's all that kept Emily going through her late adolescence and early twenties. The hope of seeing those who made her suffer perish at her hand. To wave a finger, and have them in agony, begging her for mercy. It kept her looking to the future in anticipation. It got her up in the morning.

Hope was Emily's faithful companion. Never leaving her side. She now realised that to Daniel, she was just that. She kept him looking ahead to the future, with anticipation. Anticipation at their life together. He couldn't wait - and neither could she. She kept him going when his family got on his nerves. She got him up each morning with a kiss on the nose and a smile. She was his muse. She was his hope.

Emily knew she couldn't betray this. She didn't want to either, because, deep down, she knew she really loved Daniel. Unfortunately for Emily, that choice had been taken away from her by the bitter and obsessive Aiden Mathis. But now, Emily had realised that the Graysons were just playing off of Aiden's pain, to get him to do what they want.

She needed to get away. That's all that was on her mind. She needed t turn her phone on. She knew that Nolan would be able to track the signal if she could just get it from Aiden. She knew he'd be asleep soon. She decided she'd take her chances and do it then.

Daniel was walking up the driveway to the beachouse. The last time he'd been in this place, he'd been with her. With Emily. The detectives were on their way to question him about his wife's disappearance. He sat on the steps leading up to the porch. He heard a car drive up and loooked upwards to gaze upon a blue and white squadcar. A slim hispanic woman, wearing a light grey pant-suit, and a burgundy shirt, exited the vehicle, along with a considerably larger black man, who donned a police uniform. The woman approached him, a kind look to her face. 'Mr. Daniel Grayson, I assume? We've been sent here in regard to your wife's disappearance.' Daniel looked up, blankly, and replied 'Yeah. That's me.'

Never in his life had he been as upset as he was then. To lose the one you love, is like losing half of yourself, that you can never regain.

'My name is detective sergeant Garcia, and this is officer Patterson. We've been assigned to your wife's case. We'd like to ask you some questions about her disappearance' she had a kind look about her, on the other hand, officer Patterson lacked the warmth.

Daniel stood up, to beckon to the front door, and show the two in. D.S. Garcia smiled as she walked in, followed by officer Patterson, who removed his hat, looked to the ground. Daniel brought up the rear, closing the door after them.

The two sat at the kitchen island, and Daniel stood at the other side, he poured himself a tumbler of bourbon, and downed it quickly.

'Where were you at the time of your wife's disappearance?' asked Garcia. 'I was asleep, on the couch. We'd had a spat and I decided it would be best to give her her space' Daniel replied, regretfully. 'What was this 'spat' about?' asked Patterson, suspiciously. Daniel looked up to him, and met his gaze with one of desperation, regret, and contempt 'Her ex, Aiden Mathis, wanted her to run away with him, he have her a plane ticket, and I told her how I felt about him. How he was beneath her. She came to his defence, saying that he was hurting and I had no compassion, or something like that.'

'When you woke up' Garcia began 'talk me through what happened.' 'Well' Daniel replied 'my head was aching, so I was holding it in my hands, and then my mind went to Emily, and how sorry I was. I went upstairs to apologise. I edged the door open a little, and peeked in. Once I saw she wasn't there, I burst in and she wasn't anywhere. I looked all over the house. Nothing.' Garcia looked puzzled as she asked her next question 'How do you know she hadn't just gone out?' and Daniel was certain in his reply 'Whenever one of us goes out, we leave the other a note, telling us where we are. My wife is gone. I need you to find her.'

© Sarah Egan 2013 - 2014 This story is subject to copyright and may not be copied or reproduced without the express permission of the author.