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"Well, you'll know my story. It's the newest. If someone watches Ava for me, I'll get a fire going in the grill. I hope we have some matches or something."
"Great. I think everything you'll need to get started is over there in that bag." Sicily explained.
As they settled in to jot down their stories, I fixed the hot dogs for the kids, who were growing hungrier by the minute.
"Hey, kids!" I called out, "Hot dogs will be ready soon. Who's hungry?"
With the children happily eating, I joined the gals at the table and started recording my own story on paper. The atmosphere was a mix of urgency and camaraderie, as we all understood the importance of what we were doing. In the midst of the chaos and uncertainty surrounding us, it was comforting to be in the company of friends, sharing a meal and working together to unravel the tangled web of events that had brought us here.
Finally, Sicily raised her hand like a kid in school and waved her paper in the air. "I'm done." We all paused as she reiterated how she moved to San Diego and started working for Daniel. Soon a body of a staff person was found murdered beside the copier, and how, later, someone had tried to kidnap Harper, her daughter, in plain daylight. The attempt had failed, and the kidnapper got away. Also, at some point, Daniel received a weird recording from someone who intended to break them up. And it seemed like things revolved around the date of January 6th. "Oh, and Agent Carter Brown was assigned to the case after the first schmuck came up with nothing!"
"Since I wasn't around then, what's the significance of January 6th, Sicily?" I asked.
"I think that's still a mystery," Sicily replied and continued. "Well... here's some more history. The six guys were friends and frat brothers in college, but at first, they included Clint Tyree as a founding partner who helped set up the company. He was always good with paperwork and very smart. But some years later, Clint rebranded the old company to Rosedale Technologies and transferred to Seattle, his hometown. Most recently, he came back to help write the grant for the Golden Key Project."
"Yea, and he suddenly took off and left us holding the bag!" Meagan added. "But, hey, that project helped solidify my relationship with Chase. So, I'm not complaining."
"I'm next!" Amber called out. "Do you remember the hog’s head that was left for Ryder at Daniel's bachelor's party?"
"That was so gross!" Sicily added.
"Long story short, a note was left for Ryder in a dead hog's head, hinting that Ryder's family was somehow responsible for the murder at the office. His family owned a butcher shop at some point and the hog head looked suspicious. Also, Carter was found tied up and left in his garage during that time. Thankfully, he was rescued, and of course, my mother and father-in-law are innocent."
"Well, maybe Meagan and I should tell our story together since it is intertwined," Ariel snickered.
"No, you tell it for both of us. Some of what happened is still foggy or I've completely forgotten it," Meagan admitted, sighing.
I was aware of some of the story because I used to babysit for Ariel and was Meagan's driver while she was recovering from her own close call with the killer. But I listened closely as Ariel filled us in on her story since Ariel, Meagan, and I were the only ones to have personal contact with the killer/kidnapper.
Ariel explained how she had escaped to England to avert harm after Chelsea - an acquaintance of Meagan - had discovered where she lived. Soon after, Meagan was kidnapped and left for dead. Taking almost a year to recover from her head injury.
"Yea, and some of us believe that Chelsea person was coming after Ariel, and when she wasn't home, went after Meagan instead. It's just a theory I've heard the guys kicking around." Amber added.
"Good job, everyone!" Ariel cajoled, holding out her hand. "I'll get these stories typed up as soon as I can. Now, if you don't mind, I'll collect them for safekeeping."
We promptly concluded our activities as we observed another black sedan arriving on the ridge. Now there were two agents present, and I was relieved to find that one of them was Agent Ramirez. As the sun descended behind the hills, the air grew colder, encapsulating the perfect conclusion to a day filled with mixed emotions.
As I eased a sleeping Ava into her car seat and sat beside her, Ramirez glanced at me in the rearview mirror. "Amy, I set up a Zoom call with your father as you requested. He's eager to hear from you. I'll take the baby if you like so you can have some private time to speak with him."
"Awesome!" I replied, grateful for the opportunity to reconnect with my dad. After not hearing from me for two days, I knew he would be worried sick.
As soon as we arrived at my safe house, I gently freed Ava from her car seat and handed her over to Ramirez. I headed inside, my heart thumping in my chest at what my father would say when he found out what was happening. With a deep breath, I clicked on the Zoom link and waited for the call to connect.
Papa's weathered face filled the screen, his eyes reflected a mixture of relief and concern. "Amy, my dear, I've been trying to get in touch with you for two days! Are you alright? I understand you're in a safe house. Agent Ramirez reached out to me," he said, his voice trembling with emotion.
"Papa, I'm so sorry for making you worry," I said, tears welling up in my eyes. "I'm okay, really. A lot has happened, and I have so much to tell you."
His eyes searched mine for a moment before he sighed heavily. "Alright, tell me everything. I'm here for you."
I recounted the events of the past few days, explaining how I had become little Ava's nanny and the circumstances that led to it. My father listened intently; his brow furrowed in concern. When I finished, he shook his head and said, "Amy, I had no idea all this was happening. I'm glad you're safe, but I want you to know that I'm going to do everything I can to help you."
"Oh, Papa, I appreciate that, but it's complicated," I replied, feeling overwhelmed.
"I understand, sweetheart," my father said, his voice softening. "But I can't just sit back and do nothing while you're in this situation. I'm going to reach out to some of our relations before I try to contact Mitch and see if we can work together to find a solution. We need to reunite the two of you and figure out a way to take care of Ava without putting you in danger. And, of course, the rest of the Rosedale crew. Mum and I have grown fond of them."
I hesitated, knowing what family relations he was referring to. But I didn't care. I loved Mitch and Ava, and Papa always put family first. His determination and love would be a driving force in finding a way to make it happen. "Thank you, Papa. I don't know what I would do without you," I whispered, my voice cracking with emotion.
“Everything will work out alright, Amy. I promise," my father said, his eyes filled with determination. "Just take care of yourself and Ava. I'll handle the rest."
