WAITING FOR ETHAN

CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:THE MISSING WITNESS

Ethan did not return home immediately.Instead, he spent nearly an hour wandering through the crowded streets of Queens, constantly checking over his shoulder.The message remained on his phone.

Next time, you won't get away.Every time he looked at it, the threat felt more real, more personal.

Whoever was behind this wasn't trying to scare him anymore.They were warning him and somehow, that frightened him more.

The afternoon sky had darkened by the time he finally entered a small coffee shop several blocks away from Margaret Dawson's house. The place was crowded enough to make him feel safe.

At least for the moment.He chose a table near the back and carefully removed the photograph from his jacket pocket.The image was old, slightly faded.

But the faces were still clear.

His father, Robert Hamilton, Margaret Dawson, and three other people he didn't recognize.Ethan studied every detail, every expression, every face.Something about the photograph felt important, not because of who was in it.

Because of where it had been taken, the building behind them looked familiar, He couldn't explain why.But he had definitely seen it before.His phone suddenly vibrated.This time it was Mason.

"Ethan."His voice sounded unusually tense.

"Where are you?"

"I'm fine.""That's not what I asked."Ethan sighed."I'm in Queens."A long silence followed.Then Mason spoke again.

"Margaret Dawson?"Ethan nearly dropped the phone."How do you know that?""I need you to listen carefully."The seriousness in Mason's voice immediately caught his attention.

"What's wrong?""Margaret disappeared."Ethan froze."What?""Thirty minutes ago."The words hit him like a punch."That's impossible.""It happened."Ethan stared through the coffee shop window.

Cars moved slowly through the rain, people hurried along the sidewalks, everything looked normal.Yet suddenly nothing felt normal anymore."Someone took her."Mason's voice had become almost a whisper."And I think we both know why."

Meanwhile, back in Willow Creek, Olivia sat alone in her room.Rain tapped softly against the windows, normally she loved rainy afternoons but today she couldn't focus on anything.The message she had received days earlier continued to bother her.

Someone was watching Ethan.And if they were watching him...Were they watching her too?The thought sent a chill through her body, a knock interrupted her thoughts.

"Come in."The door opened.To her surprise, it was her father, Robert Hamilton rarely visited her room, especially during the day.For a moment, neither spoke.Then Robert smiled."You've been avoiding me."

Olivia looked away."I've been busy."Her father laughed softly.

"No."The smile disappeared."You've been angry."Olivia remained silent, Robert walked toward the window, for several moments he simply watched the rain.

Then he quietly said:"I know you think I'm the villain."The statement caught her off guard, she wasn't expecting such honesty.

"Are you?"Robert turned toward her.His expression was impossible to read."Life is complicated."Olivia almost laughed.There was that word again.Complicated, everyone seemed obsessed with it, every secret, every lie, every unanswered question.Always complicated.

"You and Mom keep saying that."Robert's smile faded."Because it's true."

"No."Olivia stood."It's an excuse."The room suddenly became tense.Father and daughter stared at one another, years of unspoken emotions hanging between them.Finally Robert sighed."You don't understand what happened back then."

Olivia's heartbeat quickened, back then, another reference to the past, another clue, another mystery.

"What happened?"

Robert immediately regretted his words.She could see it.His expression changed, the walls went back up, the opportunity vanished.

"Nothing."Olivia shook her head."You're lying."Her father looked exhausted.For the first time in her life, he looked older than she remembered, not weaker, just tired.As if carrying a burden for too many years, without another word, Robert left the room.Leaving Olivia with even more questions than before.

That evening, Daniel Sterling sat inside his car outside a restaurant in downtown Willow Creek, he wasn't there for dinner, he was watching.Inside the restaurant sat Victor Sterling, his father.

Across from him sat a man Daniel had never seen before, the meeting had lasted nearly an hour.Both men appeared serious.Focused, concerned, Daniel watched carefully.His instincts told him this wasn't a business meeting.

Something felt different.Then his father handed the man a folder, Daniel's pulse quickened.The man quickly slipped it inside his briefcase.A few moments later they stood, shook hands and walked in opposite directions.

Daniel immediately started his car, without thinking, without planning, he followed the stranger.

The decision felt reckless, dangerous.But for the first time in weeks he felt like he was moving forward instead of standing still.The stranger drove toward the outskirts of town, away from the busy streets, away from the city center.

Eventually he turned into an abandoned industrial area, Daniel slowed down.His heart pounded, the warehouses looked deserted, most had been empty for years.The stranger parked beside one of the buildings and disappeared inside.

Daniel waited, five minutes, ten minutes, fifteen, then curiosity overcame caution.He stepped out of his car and approached the warehouse.The large metal door stood slightly open.Just enough to see inside, Daniel moved closer, carefully, quietly.

Then he looked through the gap and immediately wished he hadn't.Inside stood nearly a dozen men, several armed security guards, and stacks of boxes, computers, and documents.

And hanging on one wall was a giant board covered with photographs, Daniel's blood ran cold.Because one of the photographs belonged to Olivia another belonged to Ethan and another belonged to him.

Someone was watching all of them.For how long, he had no idea, a sudden noise behind him made him jump.

Daniel spun around, nobody, just the wind, his breathing became uneven, he needed to leave, now.

Before anyone noticed him, slowly he backed away from the warehouse, every instinct screamed at him to run, yet somehow he forced himself to remain calm.

One step, then another, then another.Finally he reached his car.His hands trembled as he started the engine.Only when he was several miles away did he allow himself to breathe, because for the first time, he had seen proof.

Not rumors, not suspicions, proof.Someone was tracking all three of them, Ethan, Olivia

and Daniel.

The question was why.

Far away in New York, Ethan finally returned to his apartment, exhaustion weighed heavily on him.The day had been one disaster after another, Margaret was gone.The threats were escalating.And every answer seemed to vanish before he could reach it, as he unlocked his apartment door, something immediately felt wrong.

The room was dark, silent, too silent.Ethan stepped inside cautiously, then he froze.His stomach dropped, his apartment had been searched, drawers hung open.

Books lay scattered across the floor, papers covered the room, someone had been there, someone was looking for something.

Slowly, Ethan entered the apartment, his pulse thundered in his ears.Then he noticed an envelope sitting neatly on the kitchen table.Unlike everything else, it had been placed carefully.

Deliberately waiting for him, Ethan approached.His name was written across the front, nothing else.

With shaking hands, he opened it.Inside was a single photograph, a photograph of Olivia and beneath it, five handwritten words.

Stop now, or she pays.Ethan stared at the message, the room suddenly felt colder, the danger had finally reached Willow Creek.And for the first time, Ethan realized the people hiding the truth were willing to use Olivia against him.

The game had changed.

And the next move would be his.