Concerned. The word tastes bitter.
I let out a sharp breath. “She refused to pay rent, got us evicted and literally told me to go to hell.”
The two detectives exchange a look.
“How did she know where I was?” I demand.
“She didn’t provide details. Only that she had reason to believe you were in danger.”
A hollow laugh escapes me. “Danger. Right.”
The room feels smaller now, the walls pressing in. All of this... The interrogation. Wilder reliving his worst nightmare.
It’s because of her. My anger sharpens into something cold and focused.
“I want this cleared up immediately,” I say. “Wilder has done nothing wrong.”
“We understand,” the detective replies. “Your statement helps.”
He pauses. “Your mother is here at the station.”
My spine straightens, but I say nothing.
“She asked to see you. Would you be willing to speak with her?”
Every instinct in me screams no, but if this ends it…if it frees Wilder…
“Yes,” I say. My voice is steady despite the storm raging inside me. “I’ll speak with her.”
The detective nods and stands. As he opens the door, I take a deep breath, my expression hardening.
This ends today.
My mother steps into the room, and for a second, I don’t recognize her. I thought she looked bad from alcohol abuse before. Now, she looksbad,bad.
Her cheeks are hollow, her skin dull and stretched too tight over sharp bones. Dark circles bruise the skin beneath her eyes. Her hands tremble at her sides. Her clothes hang off her like they belong to someone else.
Shock hits me so hard I forget to breathe. “Mom?”
Her gaze snaps to mine. It’s glassy, unfocused, but when she sees me, something frantic flickers to life.
“Millie?”
The word is raw, almost desperate.
And just like that, I know.
The weight loss. The shaking. The restless way her eyes move. The thin sheen of sweat on her skin.
Withdrawal.
My stomach drops.
“What the hell were you thinking?” The words come out sharper than I intend. “You reported me missing? You told the police I was kidnapped?”
She flinches like I slapped her.
“I was trying to find you,” she says quickly. “I couldn’t. I went to the apartment, and you weren’t there. Your phone—you changed your number. I didn’t know where else to look.”
