We left the school separately.<\/p>\n
The police wanted Travis to meet them at the station.<\/p>\n
Ryan drove me and Emma home.<\/p>\n
I sat in the passenger seat, watching the road while Emma sat quietly in the back.<\/p>\n
She had stopped asking questions.<\/p>\n
That frightened me more than if she had been crying.<\/p>\n
Children become quiet when they realize adults are worried.<\/p>\n
At home, Ryan made lunch.<\/p>\n
He kept glancing toward the windows.<\/p>\n
I took Emma upstairs.<\/p>\n
She sat on the edge of her bed.<\/p>\n
\u201cMommy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIs somebody mad at Travis?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAre they mad at me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cPromise?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI promise.\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
Then she whispered, \u201cI didn't do anything.\u201d<\/p>\n
I sat beside her.<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDaddy thinks Travis is bad sometimes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDaddy was wrong about that.\u201d<\/p>\n
She looked relieved.<\/p>\n
\u201cDoes Travis know the bad person?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI think he's trying to figure it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
Emma nodded.<\/p>\n
Then she reached beneath her pillow.<\/p>\n
She pulled out a small plastic keychain.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat's that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMark gave it to Travis.\u201d<\/p>\n
I froze.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe gave it to me.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLast Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart began pounding.<\/p>\n
\u201cEmma, why didn't you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI forgot.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at the keychain.<\/p>\n
It was shaped like a guitar pick.<\/p>\n
A small black piece of plastic with a silver band around the edge.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho is Mark?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cTravis's music friend.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he give you this at the school?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the band place.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at her.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou were there?\u201d<\/p>\n
She nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cTravis let me watch rehearsal once.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan had never mentioned it.<\/p>\n
Neither had Travis.<\/p>\n
I carried the keychain downstairs.<\/p>\n
Ryan looked at it.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat's that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEmma says Mark gave it to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan's face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cTravis needs to see this.\u201d<\/p>\n
We called him.<\/p>\n
He arrived twenty minutes later.<\/p>\n
The moment he saw the keychain, he went still.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere did she get that?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cShe says Mark gave it to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cLast Saturday.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis picked it up carefully.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat isn't mine.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat is it?\u201d<\/p>\n
He turned it over.<\/p>\n
There was a tiny symbol engraved on the back.<\/p>\n
A triangle crossed by a line.<\/p>\n
Ryan looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis stared at it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was our old band's symbol.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOld band?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore the current group.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat happened?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis put the keychain on the table.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe band broke apart after money disappeared.\u201d<\/p>\n
I remembered the police mentioning the financial dispute.<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was responsible?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe never proved it.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho was suspected?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cMark.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan swore quietly.<\/p>\n
Travis continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe handled bookings. Payments. Contracts.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd he disappeared?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe left town.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout a year ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why is he here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
The room fell silent.<\/p>\n
I looked at the keychain.<\/p>\n
\u201cCould this be a message?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis shook his head.<\/p>\n
\u201cMaybe.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan asked, \u201cWhat was he accused of taking?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBand money.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow much?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cEnough to destroy the group.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat's vague.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAbout twenty thousand dollars.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan stared.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd nobody reported him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe did.\u201d<\/p>\n
The police had a record.<\/p>\n
That explained why they had reacted differently when Travis finally mentioned Mark.<\/p>\n
But something still didn't fit.<\/p>\n
I looked at the keychain.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy give this to Emma?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis didn't answer.<\/p>\n
Ryan said, \u201cMaybe he wasn't giving it to her.\u201d<\/p>\n
We all looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe could have wanted Travis to find it.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis nodded slowly.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat makes more sense.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause Mark knew I'd recognize the symbol.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked toward the window.<\/p>\n
\u201cThen the message wasn't for Emma.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was for you.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis nodded.<\/p>\n
A cold feeling settled over me.<\/p>\n
Someone had been using our daughter to send messages to Travis.<\/p>\n
The thought made me sick.<\/p>\n
The police returned later that afternoon.<\/p>\n
We gave them the keychain.<\/p>\n
The officer examined it.<\/p>\n
\u201cDid the child interact with Mark directly?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe may have.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cAt the rehearsal space.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWas anyone else present?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe band.\u201d<\/p>\n
The officer wrote down names.<\/p>\n
Then he looked at Travis.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou need to tell us everything about the financial dispute.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis nodded.<\/p>\n
He explained that Mark had handled the band's bookings and payments.<\/p>\n
Several deposits had disappeared.<\/p>\n
The group had assumed the venue owners were late.<\/p>\n
Then they discovered forged invoices.<\/p>\n
Mark vanished before the matter could be resolved.<\/p>\n
The band dissolved.<\/p>\n
Travis eventually joined another group.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat does this have to do with your neighbor's daughter?\u201d the officer asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut someone wants you to think it does.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis looked at the floor.<\/p>\n
The officer continued.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou've received a photograph of your house, someone watched the school, a note was left in your daughter's desk, and an object linked to your former band was given to the child.\u201d<\/p>\n
He paused.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is no longer random.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan put an arm around my chair.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat should we do?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cUntil we identify the person, don't change your routines unpredictably.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat sounds dangerous.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is safer than allowing someone to learn that their behavior controls you.\u201d<\/p>\n
I nodded.<\/p>\n
The officer gave us additional instructions.<\/p>\n
No walking alone.<\/p>\n
No unscheduled pickups.<\/p>\n
Keep Emma with trusted adults.<\/p>\n
Document everything.<\/p>\n
Then he left.<\/p>\n
That evening, Travis sat on our porch.<\/p>\n
Ryan joined him.<\/p>\n
I watched through the window.<\/p>\n
For a long time, neither spoke.<\/p>\n
Finally Ryan said something.<\/p>\n
Travis shook his head.<\/p>\n
Then Ryan looked toward the house.<\/p>\n
I stepped outside.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cMark knew about Emma.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHe asked me about her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cSeveral months ago.\u201d<\/p>\n
My heart sank.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn't you tell me?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI didn't think it mattered.\u201d<\/p>\n
I stared at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou keep saying that.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did he ask?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis hesitated.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe asked whether she was my daughter.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at Ryan.<\/p>\n
Neither of us spoke.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat did you tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThat she was my neighbor's child.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he ask her name?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid you tell him?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDid he know where she lived?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis looked down.<\/p>\n
\u201cHe could have figured it out.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cMy motorcycle.\u201d<\/p>\n
I understood.<\/p>\n
If Mark had seen Travis ride away after rehearsal, he could have followed him.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnd the first time he saw you walk Emma home?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't know.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan's voice was quiet.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy didn't you tell us any of this?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I didn't want to frighten her.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou should have frightened us.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou're right.\u201d<\/p>\n
I sat down.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere's something else.\u201d<\/p>\n
They both looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhy did Mark give Emma the keychain?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis stared at the floor.<\/p>\n
\u201cI think I know.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThe money.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan frowned.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat money?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBefore the band broke up, Mark told me he'd hidden some records.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis looked at me.<\/p>\n
\u201cIn the old rehearsal building.\u201d<\/p>\n
I felt a chill.<\/p>\n
\u201cRecords of what?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cPayments.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cCould those records prove he stole the money?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYes.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cDo you still have them?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cNo.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cThen why would he care now?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis's face changed.<\/p>\n
\u201cBecause I might.\u201d<\/p>\n
Ryan stood.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou said you didn't have them.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cI don't.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cBut you might know where they are.\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis nodded.<\/p>\n
\u201cI gave them to someone.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWho?\u201d<\/p>\n
He looked toward the street.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy old bandmate, Derek.\u201d<\/p>\n
The same man who had been mentioned earlier.<\/p>\n
I suddenly understood why there might be two men.<\/p>\n
Derek and Mark weren't working together.<\/p>\n
They could be looking for the same thing.<\/p>\n
The officer had warned us that someone was controlling the situation.<\/p>\n
But what if there were two separate people?<\/p>\n
One searching for Travis.<\/p>\n
Another searching for evidence.<\/p>\n
And Emma had accidentally become the point where their paths crossed.<\/p>\n
Then my phone buzzed.<\/p>\n
Unknown number.<\/p>\n
Another photograph.<\/p>\n
This one showed the old rehearsal building.<\/p>\n
Underneath it was a single sentence.<\/p>\n
YOU HAVE SOMETHING THAT BELONGS TO ME.<\/p>\n
Travis stared at the screen.<\/p>\n
Ryan asked, \u201cWhat does he want?\u201d<\/p>\n
Travis's answer was barely audible.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe records.\u201d<\/p>\n
I looked at him.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhere are they?\u201d<\/p>\n
He didn't answer.<\/p>\n
Because he had already realized the truth.<\/p>\n
They weren't with Derek.<\/p>\n
They weren't with Mark.<\/p>\n
They were somewhere much closer.<\/p>\n
We left the school separately. The police wanted Travis to meet them at the station. Ryan drove me and Emma home. I sat in the passenger seat, watching the road … <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3434,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3441","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sharestory"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3441","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=3441"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3441\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":3453,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3441\/revisions\/3453"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/3434"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=3441"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=3441"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/onesharedstory.online\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=3441"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}