Chapter One

Four Years Later

Tara

I can't focus on the biochemical processes lecture on the screen in front of me, the words blurring together as my mind keeps wandering to the anniversary of my father's death. It has been almost four years since I lost him, but the pain of losing him hasn't subsided at all. His absence left a chasm in my life that can never be filled.

My thoughts continue sinking further into the painful memories of his last days. It wasn't easy watching him slowly fade away in front of my very eyes. I hoped, wished, and prayed desperately for a miracle. But reality was harsh, and there was little I could do. Sometimes, it feels as if I'm still grappling with the emptiness he left behind.

I miss him every day and wish he could see me know, about to graduate Summa Cum Laude from the University of Washington with a degree environmental engineering, just like we always talked about. I know he would be proud of me—especially for doing it all on my own.

I know I won't be able to focus on the lecture, so I decide to put off reviewing for my finals. It'll be good for me to get away for a little bit. I decide to see what my best friend and roommate, Emily Griffins, is up to.

Tara: Hey Ems, wanna go get coffee rn?

Emily: Sorry, kinda tied up at the moment.

Tara: Where are you?

Emily: …another protest. Some company is trying to build a warehouse by the lake, they're totally gonna ruin the area!

This has me rolling my eyes, as much as I love Emily, she has a habit of participating in every event, protest or otherwise, that she can find. She's loud, and I admire that she uses her voice to advocate for the environment, but she should be focusing on studying for finals in a few days. Emily comes from a wealthy family who thinks her advocacy is charming and has no qualms about her taking an extra semester—or two—to finish school in pursuit of the greater good. But I need to get out of the apartment and she's looking like my only option, so I reply.

Tara: Send me the address, I'll join you.

I don't actually want to participate in the protest, but I'm hoping if I show up, Emily will be wrapping things up and we can go get a cup of coffee to chill or something. Emily's reply comes in as I'm locking the door, and I call a taxi to take me to the plot of land by Lake Union. A few minutes later, we pull up to the build site, and I'm surprised at the intensity of the small crowd with their placards held above their heads, chanting angrily and progressively more aggressively towards the suits doing their groundbreaking. It's almost scary to watch and I have no desire to stay any longer than necessary.

I look around desperately, searching for Emily. She has flaming red hair that always sets her apart in a crowd, so it's not difficult to find her, right at the forefront of the group. Of course. She has two placards raised above her head, one in each hand, the veins of her neck bulging dangerously as she screams the slogan at the top of her lungs.

I roll my eyes and let out a resigned sigh as I make my way toward her, nudging and pushing through the sweaty bodies of the protesters. I've almost reached her side when I hear the unmistakable sound of police sirens in the distance. I hasten my steps, grabbing her hand the moment I'm within reach.

"We need to get out of here, Ems!" I say, screaming to be heard above the noise around us. It seems she can barely hear me, and she just smiles and continues her chanting, clearly not reading the urgency in my expression.

"Listen, Emily!" I try again. "We need to leave right now. The cops are here!"

Her eyes widen in realization. Just then, chaos erupts around us as protesters start to run helter-skelter with the officers randomly grabbing anyone within reach. Emily jerks her hand away from mine and takes off at the speed of light. I stare dazedly at her rapidly disappearing figure, too stunned to react at first, and just when I snap out of it and try to follow her, a firm hand clamps down on my shoulder.

My heart slams in my chest as I turn to see a grim-faced police officer looking back at me.

"Everyone involved in this protest is being arrested for trespassing on private property!" Another officer shouts through a megaphone. I literally feel the color leave my face, I cannot be getting arrested for this, how could this week get any worse?

Just then, I feel the officer behind me placing handcuffs on my wrists, and as he moves me into one of the nearby police cars, I feel myself enter a daze.

The next thing I know, I'm in a packed police station filled with other protestors, and it seems like everyone is talking simultaneously, trying to be heard over one another. Just as I'm resigning myself to spending the night in jail, I hear an officer yell out, "Tara Schulz!?"

"That's me!" I say, standing from the hard metal bench.

"Ms. Schulz," the paunchy, mustachioed officer begins, "your friend, an Emily Griffins, came down here shortly after you got here and vouched that you had only been at the protest to get her. Because of that, we will let you go. Ms. Griffins is outside, but seems to have no wallet or identification, so she cannot sign your release papers. Is there anyone else you can call?" He quirks an eyebrow at me.

I sigh because there is only one person in the world's number I have memorized, and he's the last person I want to call. Ever since my father passed away his best friend, David Armitage, has been in charge of my trust, making sure that I have all of the money and supplies I need, but our contact has been minimal at best, nonexistent at worst. It's just my luck that the first time I need his help, it's to bail me out of jail.

Left without another choice, I tell the officer I have someone to call, and he hands me a phone to dial. I swallow nervously, take a deep breath, and raise the phone to my ear, holding my breath as the line starts to ring.

Well, here goes nothing…