A woman arrested for shoplifting in Portland, Oregon, matched Emily’s description. Her fingerprints triggered an alert in the decade-old missing person case.
James flew away that night.
At the detention center, he looked through the window at a pale, thin woman, her eyes filled with sadness. She was old, frail, but undeniably her.
“Emilie.”
She turned around slowly. Her hand trembled as it touched the glass. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
“I thought you left,” James whispered.
“I had to protect him,” she sobbed. “Derrick found me. I ran. I didn’t know what to do.”
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