Emergence Read Online Free Page B

on the front door. “Police. Open up!”
    Emma swallowed the lump in her throat. “There’s someone at the door saying they’re the police.”
    “That’s our officers, miss. Go let them in.”
    She glanced down at Jake. “I don’t want to leave my son.”
    “You can take him with you, but stay on the line until you let them in.”
    Cradling Jake in her arms, she held the knife as she moved to the front door. Two men stood on the porch, wearing police uniforms. She opened the door and let them in.
    Her legs buckled and one of the officers grabbed her arm and held her up, taking the knife with his free hand. He led her to the sofa and set it down. Jake roused from his trance-stare, staring at the policemen with wide eyes. She tried to calm herself down for Jake’s sake. Her two-year-old son didn’t need to see his mother freak out anymore. Finally, she stopped shaking enough for officer to take her statement. The way he watched her made her uneasy.
    He’s a police officer, for God’s sake, Emma. Stop the paranoia .
    He gave her a tight smile then announced he was going to look around the outside of the house. Returning several minutes later, he tucked the notebook in his shirt pocket. “We didn’t find anything, ma’am.”
    She titled her head, confused. “That’s because they left. You were hardly out there.”
    “We’ll file the report and see what happens.”
    “Don’t you want to know what they looked like?”
    He looked at his partner then down at her. “Ma’am, we’ve been told that you’re prone to exaggeration and that CPS has been notified to investigate.”
    She stood, her anger rising. “Who told you that?”
    “We have confidential sources, but this incident combined with your call the other night…”
    “You’re telling me you’re not going to do anything?
    “We’ll file the report, ma’am.”
    “You’ll file the report? You’ll file the report ?” She flung her hand toward the front door. “Meanwhile, there are men out there who want my son! My son is in danger and you’re doing nothing to help him!”
    The officer leaned his face down to hers. “Honestly ma’am, the only danger we see to your son right now is you. CPS will be in touch.”
    “What about the screen? They ripped the screen to get in.”
    “You have a little boy, Ms. Thompson. My kids are always busting my screen door.” His voice lowered. “I understand that you’re a single mother and under a lot of stress. Perhaps it wouldn’t hurt to get some counseling.”
    “ Excuse me ?”
    He flashed her a tight smile. “We’ll let ourselves out.”
    “Yeah. Why don’t you do that?”
    Emma followed and locked the door behind them, wanting to burst into tears. But Jake was watching and he needed her to be strong. She needed to keep it together.
    His face relaxed. “The bad men are gone.”
    She pulled him into a hug. “Yes, they’re gone.”
    “They’re coming back.”
    His announcement didn’t surprise her, yet fear coursed through her veins.
    “Why are they coming back?”
    He leaned away and looked at her in confusion. “They want me.”
    “Because you can see things?”
    He nodded. “But later they’ll want you. And you’ll leave me.”
    She pulled his head to her chest. “I’ll never leave you. Never.”
    “You’ll be with a man. He’ll keep you safe.”
    “ No , Jake. There’s only you.”
    “The bad men are coming back.”
    With a sigh, she pondered her choices. One, she could ignore his warning, in spite of the fact that he’d been right about the men who tried to break in. Or two, she could listen to him and be ready the next time they came.
    “Do you know when they are coming back?”
    “No.”
    “Will you tell me when you do?”
    “Yes.”
    She was jumpy the rest of the afternoon, uncertain what to do. If the police wouldn’t listen to her, what could she do? Her only option was to take matters into her own hands.
    Maybe she should hide. She had no ties to Little Rock.