Page 218 of Rangers Unexpected Return

Heavy breathing.

Then Emily whispered, “I hid it.”

The man answered.

“You stupid little girl.”

Emily’s breathing quickened.

“You’ll never find it.”

A violent crash filled the room.

Plastic shattered.

Then static.

Will stopped the recording.

“The original recorder was destroyed.”

Carson frowned. “Then how do we have this?”

“The Keeper copied the audio,” I said.

“He wanted us to hear exactly what he chose.”

“But why?” Trigger asked.

Nobody answered immediately.

Mace stepped toward the evidence wall.

“Because he wants us chasing the box.”

I looked at him. “You think the box is another distraction?”

“I think it’s part of the truth.”

“Explain.”

He studied Emily’s photograph.

“Suppose you were hiding something for eighteen years.”

“The box?”

“No.”

He tapped the photograph.

“Emma.”

The room became quiet.

“The Keeper doesn’t care whether we find the box,” Mace continued. “He cares whether we discover who Emma really was.”

Sheriff Tate folded his arms.