Happily Never After (sequel to Stolen Love)

Chapter 4

I pulled up to the apartment that supposedly belonged to Ryan. It was a simple house, one story, painted white. Looked a little run down but, overall not too bad. I wondered how Ryan could afford a place seeming how he hasn't exactly had a job.

I knocked on the door and it was opened quickly. Too quickly; as if Ryan was expecting me. Was he?

"Who are you and why are you here?" He asked me in very defensive tone.

"It's me. Emily." I responded.

His face changed and he looked happy to see me. He didn't smile, I could see it in his eyes that he wanted me to be here.

"Emily. I missed you. Come on in." He opened the door wider for me to enter. I sat on the couch and Ryan sat on the chair across from me. "How have you been?"

"I'm fine. How are you?"

"Well, I just got out of prison so, pretty good, I guess. I don't have any money. The house isn't even mine. A buddy is letting me stay here till I get back on my feet. I really did miss you. I'm glad you're here. How did you know where to find me, anyways?"

"I got a call from the prison. They told me you were let out a month ago. They knew where you were staying so they gave me the address. Sorry, I should've notified you I was coming."

"How? All you had was an address. Anyways, how is your life? I want to know everything that is going on."

"Well, I am married."

"Married? Wow. I have to meet him. Please?"

"Sure. Another time though.

"How long have you been married?"

"About 6 years."

"Wow. Do you guys have any kids?"

When he asked that question he could probably see the grief in my eyes.

"We did."

"Did?"

"She was murdered a few days ago."

"I'm so sorry. I didn't know."

"How could you know? I'm the one who decided to stay away from you for this long. He name was Abby. She was 5. She just started kindergarten this year. She was... the best thing I could ever hope for." The tears started to well up in my eyes. Ryan probably saw that because he changed the subject.

"So if you're married, that means your last name isn't Jones anymore. What is it?"

"Towning."

"Nice to meet you, Emily Towning." He smiled at me and I couldn't help but smile back.

The rest of the night went by fairly quickly. Before I knew it, it was 11:30.

"Well, I should probably go. I have work in the morning."

"Where do you work?"

"I'm a detective down at the police station."

"Oh, so you... are you... do you enjoy it?"

"I love it. You were going to ask something else."

"No, I wasn't."

"Can I take a guess at what it was? Am I working my daughter's case?" He nodded his head in response. "No, I'm not. They won't let me on it."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"I don't know. I want to know what leads they're getting but, I'm not sure I would be able to work the case without turning into an emotional wreck." I paused. "I really need to get going."

"Okay. Oh, when can we get together again... so I can meet your husband?"

"I don't know. I'll have to talk to him but, you have a phone?"

"Yeah."

"Give me your number so I can text you later." We exchanged numbers and I left to go home. I didn't expect Alex to still be up when I got home so, when I arrived I went in quietly. I walked up the stairs past Abby's room. Somebody was in there sitting on her bed. 

The door was only slightly open so I slowly started opening it. The door squeaked a little bit and the person turned around.

"Alex? What are you doing in here?" I asked him

"I couldn't sleep. I miss her so much. Why her? Why did they have to kill her?" 

"To get to me." 

"We need to tell somebody. Or he could kill again."

"We need to solve our case. We know for sure that the serial killer will kill again. We don't that this guy will kill again." 

"They could be the same person." 

I shook my head. "Different victims, different cause of death. Nothing about these two killers is the same. Come on. We need to go to bed. We have work in the morning." Just then my phone started ringing. 

"Hello?" I asked as I answered the phone.

"Emily?" 

"Chief Larson?"

"I'm sorry to call you this late but, the results came in on your daughter's autopsy. She was drowned. I'm so sorry."

"The boy? Did he die the same way?"

"I can't  give you any information on that case."

"Please? Just this and then I won't ask for any more information." 

It was silent on the other end of the line for a few seconds before he answered, "yes." 

"Thank you for informing me. When will we be able to bury her body?"

"You can collect your daughter's remains tomorrow if you like." 

"Thank you." I hung up the phone and turned to Alex with tears in my eyes. "She was drowned. She probably suffered." I let the tears stream down my face as Alex held me in his arms. The thought of my little girl feeling that pain. I can't even begin to imagine how afraid she was. 

Alex and I slept in Abby's room tonight. We needed to feel close to her again and, this was the best way we could think of at the moment.