My Parents Are Kidnapped, and My Cop Brother Refuses to Help, Now He’s Losing His Mind in Regret

Chapter 4

The officer monitoring the calls gave me a subtle thumbs-up, signaling I was good to go. My entire body shook as I picked up the receiver, the weight of the situation crashing down on me.

A nearby officer passed me a note. [Buy time].

I nodded, trying to steady my breathing, but my voice still trembled. "I'm preparing the money. Please, don't hurt my parents."

The kidnapper's laugh was sharp and mocking. "Hurry up, then! You've got one hour. If not, your parents are dead. No second chances."

Another note slid in front of me. "Where do I drop the money? And where do I get my parents afterward?"

His impatience was palpable. "Put the money in a locker at the station. Your parents will be back with you once I've got it."

I could feel my pulse pounding in my neck. The drop-off location was different from last time, my mind raced. I kept talking, trying to buy just a little more time for the officers to trace the call.

"Are they okay? Can I at least hear their voices?" I asked, my throat tight.

The kidnapper scoffed. "So many damn questions."

Then, miraculously, I heard their voices.

"Emily," my mom's voice came through, weak but steady. "Finding you again means your father and I have no regrets in this life."

I could barely breathe, a lump forming in my throat.

"Don't do anything reckless for us. Take care of yourself."

And then my dad's voice cracked through the line. "Sweetheart, I regret losing you when you were two... If I get a chance, I'll apologize to you in person."

I wanted to scream that I didn't need apologies, that I just needed them safe. But my words got stuck.

Before I could say anything, the kidnapper cut in, his voice dripping with disgust. I could hear him kicking something in the background, cursing under his breath.

"Damn old fools, so sentimental! Rich people are always so pretentious!" he growled. "Send the money now or your parents won't make it back in one piece."

The line went dead.

I looked around the room. Everyone's eyes were on me. They couldn't trace the call. The kidnappers had used technology to block the signal.

Panic surged through me again, making my head spin. This was it. The money had to be delivered. Without it, my parents would be gone for good.

I immediately dialed Uncle Quinn, who had promised to help with the money. But the call kept failing.

On my nth attempt, my phone suddenly rang.

I froze.

It was Jason.

His laughter came through loud and clear, mocking and cold. "Had enough of the show? Time to wrap it up."

I felt the ground slip beneath me. "What did you say to Uncle Quinn?" I demanded, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jason's voice came through, smooth and unconcerned. "Of course, I told him not to give you any money. Two million dollars? Not a chance. Even if you're just playing some game, I'm not about to let you bleed the family dry."

He laughed again, a sound that sent chills down my spine. "I told Uncle Quinn you're just looking for attention. You won't get a dime from him."

In that moment, all the hope drained from me. Like a balloon popping, everything collapsed.

Without that money, my parents wouldn't make it. The kidnappers had already proven they were capable of anything. If I didn't pay, they'd follow through on their threat.

I remembered the case file from my previous life, the kidnappers had blood on their hands. If the money didn't arrive, my parents would be next.

The phone rang again.

The kidnapper's voice, sharp as a blade, cut through the silence.

"If you don't send the money now, I'll kill them. No more warnings."