I lay awake that night, the ticking of the hospital clock the only sound in the quiet room. Harrison had fallen asleep in the chair next to my bed, looking worn out and tired. He looked different-like every day without Ethan had taken something from him. I reached for his hand and held it tightly, my mind filled with the thought that maybe tomorrow, Adrianne would finally speak up.
The police had promised they’d question her as soon as possible. But deep down, I feared the worst. What if she refused to talk? What if she kept us in this nightmare, not telling us where Ethan was?
When morning came, I was already awake. Harrison and I had breakfast, but neither of us could really eat. We both felt sick with worry. Afterward, we made our way to the police station, trying to stay strong for each other.
Detective Laney, the officer in charge, was waiting for us. She looked serious, but I could tell she was just as frustrated as we were. “Mr. and Mrs. Harrison,” she greeted us. “Adrianne is being questioned now. But she’s refusing to talk.”
My heart sank. “Can we see her?” I asked. I needed to confront her, to see her face. Maybe that would make her talk, maybe seeing my pain would make her feel something.
Laney shook her head. “It’s better if we do the questioning for now. Sometimes it’s easier for people like her to talk to police. But don’t worry, we’re doing everything we can.”
We were taken to a small room where we could watch Adrianne through a one-way mirror. She sat there, looking tired and angry, her hands shackled to the table. She didn’t react at all to the police trying to talk to her. She just stared ahead, silent and cold.
I couldn’t look away. Every time I saw her, it reminded me of how much pain she’d caused. If she’d been any different, maybe things would have been better. But now she had taken Ethan, and I couldn’t forgive her for that.
“She hasn’t said a word?” I asked, my voice almost a whisper.
Laney sighed. “No, nothing. She’s not cooperating at all.”
I couldn’t take it. “Why? Why is she doing this? She took Ethan from us. She’s hurting us just to hurt us. How can she stay so calm?” I hated Adrianne for everything she had done to us.
Harrison put a hand on my shoulder. “We can’t let her win, Emma. We have to keep going. We’ll get Ethan back.”
I nodded, but deep down, I felt like the chances of finding Ethan were slipping away. The hours passed slowly, with Adrianne remaining silent, refusing to give any answers. It felt like we were stuck in a nightmare we couldn’t wake up from.
Finally, Detective Laney came back to us. She looked tired and disappointed. “I’m sorry,” she said. “We haven’t made any progress today. She’s not talking, and there’s nothing more we can do right now.”
I just nodded, feeling a wave of hopelessness crash over me. Harrison and I left the station, my heart heavy with the thought that Adrianne might never speak, that Ethan could still be out there, hidden somewhere.
We drove back to Harrison’s mansion, the place where we had lived before all of this began. It was large, cold, and empty without Ethan’s laughter filling the space. The mansion felt like a place of sadness now.
When we entered the house, everything was too quiet. I wished for the sound of Ethan’s voice, for the feeling of him running through the halls, even if it was just a memory. But now, everything felt empty.
Harrison led me upstairs to a guest room. It was large and comfortable, but I didn’t feel at peace. How could I, when Ethan was still missing?
“I’ll be right here if you need anything,” Harrison said, his voice soft as he gave me a gentle hug before leaving the room.
I stood by the window, staring out at the large grounds, my mind racing. Adrianne wasn’t talking, and it felt like every day that passed without Ethan made the pain worse. But I couldn’t give up. I wouldn’t give up.
I turned around and saw Harrison standing in the doorway. He came over and took my hand. “We’ll get him back, Emma. I promise you. We just have to keep trying.”
I looked at him, my heart filled with determination. “I won’t stop looking for him, Harrison. No matter what it takes, we’ll find him.”
And together, we would keep fighting. Because I wouldn’t give up. Not now. Not ever.