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THEY LEFT ME AT A GAS STATION, SO I SOLD THEIR HOUSE WITHOUT WARNING. / Chapter 3 / 8

Chapter 3 - THE HIGHWAY AUDACITY

Two hundred miles away, inside the hurtling SUV, Daniel was tapping his fingers anxiously against the steering wheel. The digital dashboard clock read 1:15 AM.

Vanessa was asleep in the passenger seat, her head lolling uncomfortably against the window. In the backseat, a duffel bag containing my forgotten medication lay wedged between empty fast-food wrappers.

Daniel’s phone buzzed in the center console. Expecting a panicked call from a roadside payphone, he snatched it up without looking at the caller ID.

“Mom? Look, if you’re ready to sign the power-of-attorney documents, we can turn around at the next interchange,” Daniel barked into the phone.

There was a brief pause, filled only with static and the low hum of the highway tires.

“Mr. Hart?” a crisp, professional voice asked.

Daniel frowned, his grip tightening on the wheel. “Who is this? Where’s my mother?”

“This is Officer Reyes of the State Highway Patrol,” the voice responded smoothly. “We received a call regarding an elderly female passenger left stranded at a Sunoco station in Maple County. Is Mrs. Eleanor Hart in your vehicle?”

Daniel’s heart skipped a beat. Guilt flared, instantly smothered by irritation. “She’s fine. It was a family dispute. She’s being dramatic.”

“Sir, leaving a dependent adult without necessary medication or transportation constitutes potential abandonment under state law. We require you to report to the nearest precinct immediately to verify her welfare.”

Vanessa jerked awake, rubbing her eyes. “What’s happening? Who is that?”

“Nothing,” Daniel hissed at her, panic bleeding into his tone. “Just a routine check. Look, officer, we’re three hours away. We’ll pick her up tomorrow. She’s safe at the station.”

“Negative, Mr. Hart,” the officer replied with icy precision. “An independent witness reported that you drove away while she was inside the convenience store. Furthermore, property records indicate that your primary residence is currently undergoing an emergency title transfer. You might want to check your emails.”

The line clicked dead.

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Daniel stared at the phone screen, his blood turning to ice. Property records? Emergency title transfer?

“Vanessa,” Daniel whispered, his voice trembling. “Open your laptop. Now.”

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