The officers thanked Emma for her bravery, assuring her she had done the right thing. They asked me to contact Daniel, but my attempts went straight to voicemail. The situation was escalating quickly, and they needed to find him, needed answers.

As the officers began their search, I sat holding Emma, whispering reassurances I wasn’t sure I believed. The entire world seemed to have shifted on its axis, and we were left standing in the rubble of what once was our reality.