Chapter 38
THIRTY-EIGHT
Luke Landry. By mentioning his name, she might as well have kicked me in the gut.
She knows the truth. My tongue wants to deny it. I come up with the right words, but they stick in my dry mouth as shock holds me in place.
“You’re threatening me?” I ask, but my voice is cracked around the edges.
“Call it what you like. But Sadie will stay here, and if you attempt to come back for her, or involve the authorities, that little story you buried will resurface. Publicly. It will ruin your career.” She steps back again.
“You will leave the grounds quietly, and in an hour or two, we will sound an alarm that Sadie is missing. We will handle the rest.”
“You have to be kidding me.” As furious as I am, I have to hold myself back from her, or I’d be proving that she’s right, that I’m unhinged. She could be filming me right now.
“I’m serious, Mr. Sutton. That’s exactly what’s going to happen. Otherwise, your entire world will come collapsing down around you. I have a friend who works for a well-known paper in LA. Once word gets out about what you did, who would want a murderer for a lawyer?”
What place have we sent our daughter to? This woman is dangerous. She’s manipulating me, gaslighting me, threatening me. And she’s confident she can get away with it.
“I don’t care what you say, I’m taking my daughter out of this goddam place tonight. I’m not a danger to her.”
“That’s not what she said. Whatever you are, you have damaged her.
” She pauses and takes a deep breath. “She’s safe now.
This place specializes in healing children who have been failed by their families.
Unfortunately, many parents don’t realize the harm they cause their own kids until it’s too late. ”
Does she really think she can just take my daughter right in front of me and brainwash me into thinking there’s nothing wrong with it? But that’s exactly what’s happening. Standing here, I can already see everything breaking apart, my entire life, my marriage, my career.
If she exposes me, it’s over.
“If you don’t let me take my daughter home, I will sue you.” I threaten her with everything I have the power to make happen—lawsuits and media exposure to destroy this place.
She only laughs in my face.
“Mr. Sutton, we’re a small camp in a small town.
You are a big lawyer in a big city with a dangerous secret you and your parents have been keeping for years.
Who do you think is going to get more attention?
” She chuckles and I feel like slapping her.
“Think about it. The world would absolutely love the story of a powerful lawyer with a violent past and an abused child who hates him. This won’t end well for you.
Do as I say. Leave quietly and never return. ”
“You are out of your mind if you think you can pull this off.” I get into her face this time, so close I smell coffee on her breath. “You do not have the power to do this. I’ll ruin my career before I abandon my child.”
There’s a long pause. Then she doesn’t even flinch when she speaks the next words, her lips curled in a tiny smile.
“How about this? If you don’t get out of here and stick to our little plan, your daughter will actually get hurt.
I’m sure you know what I mean by that. Leave and she will be safe. Do this for her, if not for yourself.”
As she turns to leave, she mutters, “You’re not the only one with blood on your hands, Mr. Sutton. You and I are more alike than you think.”
She walks away.
I move in a daze. Ten minutes later, I get into my car, driving through town to clear my head. I don’t even answer Scarlett’s calls.
When I get back to the apartment, two hours have gone by. And Judy is awake, looking for me.
After she goes back to sleep, I answer Scarlett’s call.
Sadie is gone.