Maya's POV
"We're going to get him back." Daniel's voice was steel. "But first, we watch Emma's full video. All of it. There might be something we missed—something that tells us where she hid those pictures."
"My brother is tied to a chair—"
"And panicking won't save him." Daniel grabbed my shoulders, forcing me to look at him. "Maya, listen to me. They want us scared. They want us making stupid mistakes. The best way to save Brian is to think clearly and find evidence strong enough to destroy them."
I wanted to scream at him. Wanted to grab my keys and drive straight to that lunch meeting and trade whatever they wanted for Brian's life.
But Daniel was right. Victoria wouldn't let Brian go even if we surrendered. She'd kill us all and bury the evidence.
"Show me the full video," I said, my voice shaking. "Everything Emma recorded."
Daniel pulled out his phone and sat on my sagging bed. I sat beside him, close enough that our shoulders touched. James stood by the door, watching the street through the window.
"Emma sent me three videos total," Daniel said quietly. "The first one was two weeks before she died. I didn't think much of it then. She said she was worried about something at the youth center but wasn't ready to talk about it yet."
He pressed play.
Emma's face appeared—younger in this video, less scared. She was in her bedroom, sitting on her bed with stuffed animals visible behind her.
"Hey Daniel." She smiled, but it didn't reach her eyes. "I know you're in Tokyo for that conference, so I'm just leaving you a message. Something weird happened at the youth center today. Mayor Victoria was there with some men I didn't recognize. They went into the back office and I heard them arguing about 'shipments' and 'schedules.' When they came out, Victoria saw me and got really intense. Asked me how long I'd been standing there. I said I just arrived, but Daniel..." Her smile faded. "She didn't believe me. She gave me this look like she was deciding something. It scared me."
The video ended.
My skin crawled. "That was two weeks before she died?"
"Yes. I called her that night, told her to stay away from Victoria and that I'd look into it when I got back." Daniel's voice cracked. "I should have come home immediately. Should have taken her seriously."
"You couldn't have known—"
"I should have." His hands clenched the phone. "The second video came five days later."
He played it. This time Emma was outside, filming herself on what looked like a hiking trail. Her voice was lower, like she didn't want anyone to hear.
"Daniel, you need to see this. I followed Victoria to the yacht club last night—I know, I know, you told me to stay away, but I had to know what she was doing. There was a boat coming in. A big one. And they were unloading containers. But not normal containers. These had air holes, Daniel. Air holes. And I heard sounds. Like people crying."
My stomach turned.
"I tried to get closer but security almost caught me. I ran before they saw my face. At least I think they didn't see my face." Emma's voice shook. "I'm going back tomorrow during the fundraiser. Everyone will be distracted. I'm going to get proof. Real proof that the police can't ignore."
The video ended.
"The fundraiser," I said. "That's where she took the pictures she mentioned. The ones she hid."
Daniel nodded. "The third video is from the night of the fundraiser. Two days before she died." His finger hovered over the play button. "This is the one that keeps me awake at night."
He pressed play.
Emma's face filled the screen, but this version of her was terrified. She was hiding somewhere dark—I could barely see her features. Her breathing came fast and panicked.
"Daniel, if you're seeing this, something happened to me." Her voice cracked. "I got into the storage area during the fundraiser. I saw them, Daniel. I saw everything. They're trafficking people. Moving them in shipping containers like they're not even human. Some were kids. Kids my age or younger. They looked drugged, scared. I took pictures of everything—the containers, the people, the men loading them into trucks."
She glanced over her shoulder.
"Someone saw me. I ran but I think they're following me. I hid the pictures somewhere they'll never find them. Somewhere only you would think to look. Remember what Dad used to say about treasures? Remember our game?"
Her eyes filled with tears.
"I love you. You were the best big brother anyone could ask for. You gave up everything to raise me and I'm so sorry I dragged you into this. But you have to stop them. You have to save those people. Promise me, Daniel. Promise me—"
The video cut off abruptly. Just black screen.
Silence filled my apartment.
Daniel's hands shook. A single tear ran down his cheek before he angrily wiped it away.
"That was the last time I heard her voice," he whispered. "Two days later, she was dead on those rocks."
My chest felt crushed. Emma had been so brave. So determined to save people. And it had cost her everything.
"The game she mentioned," I said gently. "What was it?"
"Treasure hunt." Daniel's voice was hollow. "When Emma was little, after our parents died, she had nightmares. I created this game to distract her. I'd hide small presents around the house and give her clues. The clues were always connected to things Dad said or places we went as a family."
"What did your dad say about treasures?"
"That the best treasures aren't gold or jewels." Daniel closed his eyes. "They're moments. Memories. Love. Things you can't steal or destroy."
I thought hard. "So Emma hid the pictures somewhere connected to a memory. A place that meant something to your family."
"I've searched everywhere. The house. Her school. Her favorite beach." Daniel's frustration bled through. "I can't figure it out."
"Maybe we're thinking too literally." I pulled out my laptop. "James, you said Brian's construction company did work for Victoria. What buildings?"
James pulled up files on his phone. "The yacht club. Two warehouses on the dock. And the youth center where Emma volunteered."
The youth center.
"What if that's where she hid them?" I said. "Think about it—she volunteered there. She'd know the building. She'd have access without raising suspicion. And it's a place connected to helping kids, which is what she was trying to do."
Daniel's eyes widened. "The youth center has a memorial wall. Photos of every volunteer since it opened fifteen years ago. My parents volunteered there before they died. Our family photo is on that wall."
"Behind the photo," we said together.
"We need to get there now." Daniel stood. "Before Victoria realizes we figured it out."
"It's too dangerous," James warned. "If Victoria knows Emma hid evidence, she's probably watching that place."
"Then we create a distraction." I was already forming a plan. "Daniel goes to the lunch meeting with Victoria. Keeps her attention on him. While he's there, James and I break into the youth center and find the pictures."
"Absolutely not." Daniel's ice-king expression slammed back into place. "I'm not using you as bait—"
"I'm not bait. I'm a partner. Remember?" I stood to face him. "Victoria wants to intimidate us. Fine. Let's act intimidated. You go to lunch, play the grieving billionaire who just wants answers. Keep her talking. Record everything she says. Meanwhile, we get the evidence that will destroy her."
"And Brian?" Daniel asked quietly.
My throat tightened. "We save him after we have leverage. Right now, Victoria holds all the cards. Once we have those pictures, we can negotiate."
It was a terrible plan. Risky. Too many things could go wrong.
But it was the only chance we had.
"One hour," Daniel said. "You have one hour to find those pictures and get out. If something goes wrong, if Victoria figures out what we're doing—"
"We run," I finished. "I know."
Daniel pulled something from his pocket—a small black button. "Wear this. It's a camera and microphone. Everything you see and say gets recorded and sent to my security team. If something happens..."
He didn't finish, but I understood. If Victoria killed me, at least there'd be evidence.
I pinned the button to my shirt with shaking fingers.
James checked his weapon. "I'll have a car waiting at the back exit. We go in, find the photo, get out. Five minutes maximum."
"What about the lunch meeting?" I asked Daniel. "Victoria will have people there. You'll be alone."
"I'm never alone." Daniel pulled out his phone and made a call. "Grandmother? I need you to come to a lunch meeting at the yacht club. Bring your recorder." He paused. "Yes, the one you used during your journalism days. We're going to get Victoria to confess everything."
He hung up and looked at me. "Carmen's been investigating corruption for forty years. She knows how to get people talking."
A plan was forming. Dangerous but possible.
Then my phone buzzed.
Another text from the unknown number. Another photo.
But this time it wasn't Brian.
It was Zoe—my best friend, my former partner from the academy—tied to a chair next to Brian. Blood ran down her face. Her eyes were swollen shut.
The message: "Forgot to mention—we have both your friends. Still thinking about being clever? Bring the video to lunch. Alone. Or we start cutting pieces off them to mail to you."
The phone slipped from my numb fingers.
"No," I whispered. "No, no, no."
Zoe wasn't supposed to be here. She was safe in Sacramento. How did they—
Another text. This time a video.
Victoria's face filled the screen, smiling that perfect mayor smile.
"Hello Maya. Surprise! Your friend was so helpful, telling us all about how you two were planning to clear your name. She really shouldn't have been poking around in Detective Webb's old cases." Victoria's smile widened. "Marcus sends his regards, by the way. He's very excited to see you again. Says you two have unfinished business."
The video shifted to show a man stepping into frame.
Marcus Webb. My former partner. The man who'd destroyed my life.
He was here. In Crimson Bay.
And he had my best friend.
"See you at lunch, Maya," Marcus said, his voice sending ice through my veins. "Don't be late. You know how impatient I get."
The video ended.
I couldn't breathe. Couldn't think.
Marcus was here. Working with Victoria. And they had Brian and Zoe.
Daniel's hand gripped my shoulder. "Maya—"
"He's here." My voice came out broken. "The man who framed me. The man who stabbed me and left me for dead. He's here and he has Zoe and Brian and—"
I couldn't finish. Couldn't process this nightmare.
How was this possible? How had everything gone so wrong so fast?
"We need to call the FBI," James said. "This is kidnapping, trafficking—"
"The FBI takes hours to respond," Daniel cut in. "We don't have hours."
"Then what do we do?" I looked at Daniel, desperate. "They have two hostages now. They want the video. If we don't show up—"
My laptop suddenly made a sound. An email notification.
From an address I didn't recognize: [email protected]
Daniel and I rushed to the screen.
The email had no message. Just a video attachment titled "If Something Happens To Me - Watch This First."
With shaking hands, I clicked play.
Emma's face appeared. But this wasn't from any of the other videos. This was different. Calmer.
"Daniel, if you're watching this, I'm probably dead." Emma's voice was steady. "I'm recording this as insurance. In this video, I'm going to tell you everything I saw, everyone involved, and exactly where I hid the evidence. But first, you need to know something important."
She leaned closer to the camera.
"The person who's going to kill me? They're already inside our house."