Detective Norton pounded the table angrily before running to the precinct IT department and asking them to put a trace on that cell phone. He had also recognized that it was a local number, and that meant two things: First, Miranda had played him like a fool to buy time, and second, she didn't care anymore if she was found, so whatever she was planning to do, she had unfortunately done it already. He gave the number to one of the technicians and waited impatiently as they began their search. “Come on, move it, that call won't last a lifetime!” he said, trying to put a rush to it before getting back to talking to Nick. “We're going to find her, Mr. Bennet, don't worry... Mr. Bennet? Nick!” But Nick had had to put the phone aside to hold Valeria, whose legs had failed her when she heard Miranda's last words. “Loss? What—what do you mean?” “Well, someone you love has just died. Isn't it obvious?” Miranda asked as if Valeria were stupid. “Why else would I give you condolences, you idi

Valeria sat down on the bed, her hands shaking violently. “My God!” Nick pressed her against his body, kissing her forehead. He couldn't tell her to stop crying, he knew she wasn't going to. “Troublemaker, please, make an effort. You have to calm down. You have to think that everything is going to be all right.” Valeria shook her head in frustration. “All right? Nothing has gone all right since—” she interrupted herself, but Nick knew exactly what she was thinking. “Since you met me.” “I didn't want to say that…” “You don't have to say it. I'm not stupid. Your life became a mess from the very day you set foot in Bennet Designs,” Nick muttered, swallowing with difficulty. “And I've tried to fix it, troublemaker, but I just haven't been able to!” “Damn woman! She seems to have more lives than a cat! And you know what bothers me the most? She's always in the shadows; she doesn't show her face even once! And the police seem to be useless!” “You're absolutely right about that,” th

Valeria felt the car begin to slow down. She couldn't see anything, but she knew she wasn't alone. It was dangerous playing bait, but more important than anything else was locating where they were holding Alice. She felt the change in the surroundings as they entered a darker place, and the car soon came to a stop. She listened as Samuel opened the car door and dragged her out. He made her walk at least fifty paces before Valeria heard the latch of a deadbolt as it slid out. Samuel pushed her into the office and removed the ropes from her hands first and then the black hood. He left her there and walked out, closing the door. Valeria's heart skipped a beat when she saw Alice sitting in a chair, her eyes wide with an expression she couldn't believe. “Mommy?” “Alice!” Valeria squatted down and opened her arms to welcome Alice in them. She couldn't help the tightness in her chest and the tears that betrayed her, but at least she felt the relief of seeing her alive. “Are you all rig

Valeria put Alice behind her, but she knew it would be impossible to hide her, there was nowhere to do it. She had heard the gunshot, the screams, and through a crack in the door she had seen Samuel run out of the warehouse engulfed in flames. Miranda had killed him for betraying her, or for believing in some twisted way that he was. The office door suddenly opened and her gaze met that woman's. She looked furious, on the verge of hysterics. She was pointing a gun at her and breathing heavily, as if she didn't know exactly what she was supposed to do at that moment. “Move,” she snarled contemptuously, looking at them as if they were insects. Valeria took Alice's hand and they left the office. At one end was the body of Mr. Jones, in the middle of a pool of blood, and Valeria knew instantly where the bullet that had been heard had gone. Leaning over him, Mrs. Jones kept screaming. It seemed as if all glamour and arrogance had disappeared at the sight of that corpse. Valeria covered

The screams suddenly became second nature. Valeria scrambled in Elliot's arms to look into the warehouse when she heard the second gunshot. People were running in and out of the warehouse, and Valeria felt a lump in her throat. She tried to go back inside, but Elliot wouldn't let her. “I have to know what happened, Elliot!” “Then let's go ask, but you won't go back in there!” her brother exclaimed. “Wait here.” Connor ran to one of the officers, leaving the warehouse to find out what was going on. He returned a few minutes later with a grim expression. “Let's go,” he said, taking Valeria's hand. Richard tried to stop him but Connor refused. “Everything is under control inside, but you have to go in and see Nick for a moment before they take him away.” Valeria's legs failed and Elliot hugged her to hold her up. “What do you mean, take him away? What do you mean? They killed him... Oh God! Did they kill him?” “No, no! But he was wounded. Looks like Miranda shot him,” Connor sa