Later that afternoon, Emma sat at her desk, rereading the transcripts of her conversation with Marissa. The name "data security" kept echoing in her mind, a phrase that seemed so innocuous but clearly pointed to something more. The rise of tech companies and social media platforms had caused a seismic shift in the way information flowed. People now were more connected than ever before, but they were also more vulnerable. Emma had always known this—knew that the very thing that allowed people to connect could also be used to control them, manipulate them, even erase them.
That evening, as the shadows stretched long across the office, Emma met with Detective Lucas again. They were growing closer to something, but neither of them could yet say what. "Anna's involvement in something bigger isn't a coincidence," Emma said, her voice heavy with certainty. "This isn't just a case of a young woman disappearing. This is a calculated disappearance, a way of silencing someone who knows too much."
Lucas nodded, absorbing her words. "I've been digging into some of the tech firms operating out of Easton," he said, leaning back in his chair. "And it's starting to get messy. A few names keep cropping up, people with access to sensitive data. Powerful people. You think Anna stumbled onto something they didn't want uncovered?"
"I think she uncovered something," Emma replied. "Something they weren't ready for. But the question is—what exactly did she find?"
That's when the phone rang. It was a simple gesture, the noise piercing the silence in the room, but Emma's instincts told her it wasn't just another routine call. She picked up the receiver, and a calm, detached voice spoke from the other end.
"You're getting too close," the voice said, sending a chill through Emma's spine. "You have no idea who you're messing with."
The line went dead before Emma could respond.
Her hand tightened around the phone, but there was no mistaking the implications. Emma was being watched. They knew she was onto something, and they were trying to scare her off. But it wasn't going to work. She had never been the type to back down, not when she knew that the truth was within reach.