Mrs. Otis pressed her hand to her chest and took a small step back.

‘You and Dad are going to go into that room, and you’re going to put on the best acting hat you’ve ever worn, and you are going to pretend like you’re relieved your daughter is finally safe. You’re going to become the most loving mother this hospital has ever seen. And you will do this every’ – jab – ‘damn’ – jab – ‘day’– jab – ‘until she is released. Do you understand me, Mother?’

‘Nicho—’

‘Go ahead and call my bluff, Mother, and you’ll see how very nasty I can play. After all, I learned from the best, didn’t I?’

Mrs. Otis paled under her son’s threats, and to Alyssa’s surprise, when the woman turned to her husband for support, he merely shook his head, his jaw tight, and said, ‘You heard him, Nina. Do what you’re best at. Act.’

Maybe the man had a backbone after all.

Mr. Otis faced his son. ‘Is she awake? I’d like to see her, and not because I’m being forced to, because I need to.’

Nina Otis stood speechless as her husband and son turned their backs on her. But when she saw that Alyssa had witnessed her humiliation, she pretended nothing was amiss as she hurried to catch up. At the doorway, Nick stopped to talk to Alyssa.

‘Detective, I know you want to talk to Rachel, but first, my… parents… need to see her. They won’t be long, and then I’ll come get you. I know you need some answers.’

Alyssa didn’t miss the hesitation when he uttered the word parents. ‘Thank you. I appreciate it.’ Before he walked off, she pulled Nick to the side. ‘I overheard what you said. Do you think it’s wise to have your mother in there with your sister right now?’

‘Rachel was crushed last night every time she woke up and realized they still hadn’t come. Even if it’s a lie, she needs to know they’re here for her.’

Nodding, Alyssa let him go. As the Otises walked through the double doors, a breaking news report caught her attention, and she turned toward the television mounted in the corner.

Channel 7 News has learned that several arrests were made last night after the shocking discovery of a sex trafficking ring. Albuquerque and Placitas police departments worked together to rescue six girls from a house previously owned by multi-billionaire Bartholomew Rosenfelt. An undisclosed source told us that Rosenfelt sold that particular property to his personal decorator, Tatiana Salazar, in 2015. Salazar, however, was not at home at the time of the raid, and police are looking for her at this time.

Among those arrested were Daryl Wainwright, a day trader who lives in Los Alamos; Martin Mendez, a hedge fund manager from Santa Fe; Carl Morton and Charles Harper, both landscapers for Salazar. Morton and Harper have lengthy criminal records, and both have spent a good amount of time in prison. In fact, Harper was released as recently as 2018 for his part in an armed robbery. Attorneys for all four men claim their clients are innocent and look forward to clearing them of these charges.