"Can I be excused?" Carmela asked, her voice barely above a whisper. Officer Johnson nodded, and she stepped out of the room, closing the door behind her.Outside, she pulled out her phone and texted Max back. "Is this really important?" she wrote.Almost immediately, her phone buzzed with a reply. "Yes," the message read. "It's urgent."Carmela put her phone back in her pocket, her mind racing. She knew she shouldn't leave the station - what if Nichole called again? But at the same time, she couldn't just sit there and do nothing. She had to find her twins not by just siting around. After a moment's hesitation, she made up her mind and walked out of the station, her heart pounding in her chest.Carmela stepped out of the cab and looked around, taking in the surroundings. The neighborhood was rundown and abandoned, with boarded-up windows and overgrown yards. It was a far cry from the comfortable neighborhood she had grown up in. She spotted Max's car parked in front of an old, dil
As Carmela sat there, her phone rang. She saw that it was Officer Johnson, and she felt a little excitement in her. Maybe he had news about the case. She answered the call, her heart racing."Ms. martins," Officer Johnson said, his voice sounding urgent. "I need you to come to the station. Something has happened. It's good news."Carmela's heart leaped. "What is it?" she asked, her voice breathless. "What happened?"“Just come over to the station and all shall be relayed to you.” Officer Johnson assured over the phone briefly and after, the call went off. Sarah who was sipping slowly the coffee from her cup, placed it down and look at Carmela anticipated to know what had made her this happy. “What’s it?” She asked.“Officer Johnson just got off from the phone and he mentioned, something good had happened.” Carmela said, her lips in a smile. "It must be good news if they're calling you in," Sarah said, a smile on her face. "You should go. I'll be fine."Carmela nodded, relief floodi
"Where should we meet?" Carmela asked, trying to keep her voice steady. "I'll come talk to you in person if that's what you want.""We'll meet at the waterfront, in the middle of the city," Nichole said, her voice cold and hard. "You have one hour to get there. If you don't show up, or if you bring anyone with you, I'll make sure your children pay the price. Do you understand?"Carmela felt her heart beating in her chest. "I understand," she said, trying to keep her voice calm. "I'll..”Just as Carmela opened her mouth to speak, Nichole hung up the phone. Carmela stood there, frozen in place, her heart pounding in her chest. She felt her hands shaking, and her breath coming in short gasps. She was panicking, and she didn't know what to do.She felt like she was going to be sick. She was terrified of what would happen if she didn't go to the waterfront. But she was also terrified of what would happen if she did. She didn't know how to make the right choice.The next day, Carmela was
"Why in the world would you forget your phone?" Nichole said, raising an eyebrow. "That's such an odd thing to do." "It's not a big deal," Carmela replied, shrugging her shoulders. "It happens to everyone sometimes." But Nichole wasn't paying attention to her words. Instead, she was looking around the waterfront, and her eyes landed on two police officers, walking toward where there were standing. "Did anyone know you were coming here?" Nichole asked, panic rising in her voice. "Is there anyone else who knows we're here?" "No," Carmela replied, shaking her head. "I didn't tell anyone. I just left Max at home, and no one else knows I'm here." "Shit," Nichole muttered, her eyes darting around the waterfront, searching for a way out. "We have to get out of here." As they were about to make their escape, they heard a loud voice calling out, "Nichole! Stop right there!" Both women froze, their hearts pounding in their chests. Nichole turned to face the voice, her hand still cl
Earlier, Max had been called to the scene because of the sudden downfall of Nichole. "Carmela," Max said, his voice filled with concern. He rushed to her side, wrapping his arms around her and holding her close. "It's going to be okay," he said, his voice soothing. "I'm here for you." Carmela clung to Max, her body wracked with sobs. "It's all my fault," she cried. "I shouldn't have let go of her. I should have stopped her. Now she's..." She couldn't finish the thought. Max held her tighter, rocking her gently. "You're not to blame," he said, Carmela's grief turned to anger, and she struck Max's chest with her fists. "It's because of me!" she screamed, her words tinged with bitterness. "I should have done something! I should have stopped her!" Officer Johnson stepped forward, placing a hand on Max's shoulder. "You should take her home," he said. "We'll keep looking for her, but for now, she needs you." Max nodded, taking Carmela's hand and leading her away from the cli
Officer Johnson was walking down the hall with a doctor by his side. "Thank you for informing us about the body you found at the seaside last night," the officer said. "I know it must have been a difficult situation." "It certainly was," the doctor replied. "But I wanted to make sure you knew as soon as possible. I'm just glad we were able to get a message to you." As they walked, nurses and other hospital staff hurried past them, carrying files and pushing carts full of supplies. The bustle of the hospital was overwhelming, but the officer and the doctor paid it to none of their concern. The doctor led the officer to a quiet room, and opened a long drawer where a woman's body lay. The officer immediately covered his nose as the smell of decay filled the room. The doctor explained, "She's completely waterlogged, and I'm not sure how long she's been in the water." The officer held up a photo of Nichole. "Is this her?" he asked. The doctor studied the photo for a moment, then
"Pedro, where did you find my kids?" Carmela asked, still holding Hannah and Noah close. "How did you know where they would be?” Pedro looked down at the ground, his face red. "I've been following Nichole," he said. "I've been trying to figure out what she's been up to. When I saw the kids running away from her, I knew something was wrong." Carmela's eyes filled with tears again, this time with gratitude. "Thank you," she said, her voice breaking. "You saved my kids. Thank you." "Carmela," Officer Johnson said, "I understand that you're relieved to have your kids back. But I'd like to speak to them about what happened. If you're okay with that." “Is that necessary? I’ve gotten my kids back what’s there to ask about.” Carmela was flushed with anger. Her kids just came back and the officer wasn’t going to let them go yet? “I just need it to finish up some paperwork and close the case of your kids kidnapping.” Said officer Johnson, “so please comply with us.” Carmela nodded, h
Carmela took a deep breath and turned back to the morgue. "I'm ready to go," she said to Officer Johnson. "I want to take my kids home." "Of course," he said, his voice kind. "We've done everything we need to do here. I'll drive you home and make sure you and the kids are safe." Carmela felt a wave of gratitude wash over her. "Thank you," she said. "You've been so helpful. I really appreciate it." When Carmela and the kids arrived home, Max rushed out to meet them. He hugged the kids tightly, relief evident on his face. "Thank God you're safe," he said, his voice choked with emotion. "I was so worried." Carmela looked at him, her expression stern. "You should have been there," she said. "Where were you?" Max's face fell. "I'm sorry," he said. "I was at work, and I didn't know anything had happened until you called me. Why didn't you tell me sooner?" "I was trying to surprise you," Carmela said. "when we both realized the kids were missing, everything fell apart. I didn't wa