42 #2
The woman looked away. “She thought I was here to check up on Emma and get a job. I told her I was thinking of coming back for good, but I asked that she not tell anyone that I was living with her until I made up my mind. I did say that I believed the man who’d abused me still lived in the area.
I told her that with my new hair and name, I believed I’d be safe from him. ”
“She didn’t know his name?”
“She wanted me to tell her, but I didn’t. I didn’t want her poking around trying to find him or turn him into the police or something. She only knew that he was a strong, big man.”
“Why on earth not turn him in to the police?” asked Noelle. “That would have solved everything.”
“You think?” Crystal’s icy gaze held hers. “All I had to do was walk into a police station and say his name, he’d be arrested, and then I’d be safe? Wrong. You know it’s not that easy.”
She has a point.
“My way would have been easy,” muttered Crystal. “It still can be.”
“We have both you and Sydney on video leaving in your vehicles around the same time on Wednesday of last week,” said Max.
Crystal visibly paled. “Yeah. That was the day.” Her voice cracked. “We went to the park, and Syd planned to grocery shop after, so we swapped cars. That way I could stay longer at the park with Belle and then take her home. It’s easier than moving Belle’s car seat. We did it all the time.”
“She trusted you with her daughter,” said Noelle.
“Absolutely,” she said softly as she fiddled with her handcuffs. “You know that Syd’s hair color and length wasn’t that much different than mine.” She winced and went quiet, focused on the cuffs.
What does that have to do with anything?
“At the park, Syd kissed Belle goodbye and headed to my car to go get groceries. I was on a bench, watching Belle play in the sand area as Syd crossed the grass. I wasn’t really watching Syd as she left, but I guess I was aware of her movements from the corner of my eye.
She got in my car, and I saw the brake lights flash.
But then the car sat there in the parking space for a while.
” Crystal looked from Max to Noelle, her eyes earnest. “That’s normal, right?
You’re checking your phone, or you’re acquainting yourself with a car since it’s not yours. ”
Noelle nodded.
“Belle ran up to me, wanting a snack, and I was looking in my purse when I glanced over at my car because it hadn’t moved.
That’s when I realized someone was in the back seat.
I could see his silhouette. And the silhouette of the gun to Syd’s head.
I knew instantly who it was. I’d stared at that man for two months because I had nothing else to look at.
And I’d seen him in my dreams for the last ten years. I know what he looks like.”
“He’d waited for her in the car?” asked Max.
“I think so. I didn’t see him approach the car after she got in. He must have been expecting me to return to it since I drove it there.”
“How’d he know it was your car?”
“Dunno. Although I assume he followed me.”
“He happened to see you drive by and recognized you?”
“You’ll have to ask him.”
“Is this why you had stolen plates?” asked Noelle.
Crystal looked away. “I was doing everything possible to cover my tracks.”
“At some point, he had to realize it wasn’t you in the car, even if the hair was similar,” said Noelle. “Why didn’t he get out?”
“Again, that’s a question for him. I’ve been asking myself that for a week.
Especially since he turned around and looked directly at me and Belle at the bench and made eye contact.
” She closed her eyes. “That’s when I grabbed Belle and ran for the minivan.
Thank God for those remote sliding doors.
I had it open before we got there. I threw her in her car seat, buckled her up, and jumped into the driver’s seat.
By then Syd had backed out of the parking space and was driving away.
He was still in her back seat, his gun to her head, but he looked right at me and did this.
” She held up a hand and pantomimed shooting a gun.
“It was clear. He’d found me and he’d kill me. ”
“But why did he leave with Sydney?”
“I don’t know! He could have gotten out.
Made some stupid comment about making a mistake and then walked away.
But instead, he made her drive and then killed her.
” Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she held Noelle’s gaze.
“I took Belle and hid. There was no way I was going back to Syd’s house.
On Monday night I saw the news about the murdered people found in the forest and knew I’d done the right thing.
“Then this morning I read about Emma’s car accident and that it was suspected that someone had abducted her. I’m positive that since he couldn’t find me or Belle, he went for Emma. I believe he’s trying to flush me out.
“That’s when I knew I had to act; it was time to stop hiding.
Sydney is dead because of me, and I’ll be damned if I let him kill Emma too.
I wouldn’t be able to go on with my life if her death was the result of me continuing to hide.
I took Belle to her grandparents and was on my way to find and kill Drew Mims when Barney Fife pulled me over. ”
“There’s no one at the Mims apartment,” said Max, looking at his phone.
“Told you,” said Crystal. “Now will someone please do something to stop him?”
This is our only lead to Emma.
“Where do you think he is?” asked Noelle.
We have no choice but to listen to her.