Chapter 3 - The Dark Digital FootprintThe pages Detective Vance handed over contained printouts of search queries pulled from Andrew Miller’s home laptop. The timestamps ranged from three weeks ago down to the night of his disappearance.
Natalie scanned the lines, her stomach churning:
How to hide assets from a violent stalker
Can a restraining order protect a child from a biological mother?
Signs of severe psychological instability in custody disputes
Safe houses in neighboring counties cash only
"He wasn't running away from his daughter, Detective," Natalie said, tapping the paper. "He was running with her. Or running from someone who wanted to take her."
Vance crossed his arms, leaning against the cold hospital wall. "Or, Officer, he was paranoid. Custody battles make people lose their minds. The mother, Elena Vance—no relation to me, thankfully—lost custody three years ago due to severe substance abuse and violent outbursts. But guess who resurfaced in town two weeks ago?"
Natalie’s eyes widened. "Elena?"
"Bingo," Vance nodded grimly. "She checked into a motel six miles away under an alias. According to motel staff, she was asking around the local diners about Andrew and little Ashley. Witnesses saw a woman matching her description lingering near Andrew’s fence three nights before he vanished."
A sudden, sharp gasp cut through the quiet room.
Both officers spun around. Ashley was awake. Her large, frightened eyes were wide open, staring not at them, but at the dark window pane where the storm was beginning to pick up again.
"Ashley?" Natalie rushed to the bedside, dropping to her knees so she was at eye level with the child. "Sweetheart, can you hear me?"
Ashley’s small hand trembled as she reached out, grabbing a handful of Natalie’s uniform fabric. Her voice was a dry, broken whisper.
"The man... the man with the cold hands was in the kitchen," Ashley choked out, tears spilling over her eyelashes.
Vance stepped closer, his demeanor shifting instantly from investigator to interrogator. "What man, Ashley? Did your daddy have a visitor?"
"No," the little girl sobbed, shaking her head frantically. "Not daddy’s friend. A bad man. He wore a heavy coat, and he smelled like burning wood and cheap cigarettes. He told daddy that if he didn't sign the papers... daddy would never see me grow up."
Natalie felt the blood drain from her face. "Papers? What papers, Ashley?"
"The ones in the big brown envelope," Ashley whispered, her voice dropping to a terrifying register. "Daddy hid them under the floorboards behind the pantry. And then... and then daddy told me to hide under the bed, no matter what happened, and he said..."
She stopped, her chest heaving as a fresh wave of panic seized her.
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"What did he say, Ashley?" Natalie urged gently, stroking her tangled hair.
"He said, 'It’s love, baby. Everything daddy does is because of love.' And then he locked the front door from the outside."
