Chapter 41
Forty-One
EILIDH
My starting-over adventure had been going way too well these last few weeks.
I’d thought the gnawing pit in my stomach had something to do with how quickly my TV show was coming together, a complete industry anomaly.
It turned out, that feeling of dread, of waiting for the other shoe to drop, had nothing to do with how well my career change was going.
It also had nothing to do with me and Fyfe. We’d fallen remarkably easy into a serious relationship and embraced our family unit with Millie.
I was packing for a long weekend business trip with Theo.
We were heading to London to meet with the London office of the streaming service who were showing all the signs that they were ready to greenlight this project.
Fyfe was at Ardnoch Estate discussing new updates to the security system on the program that housed all their members’ personal and financial details.
Contemplating whether three pairs of shoes was overkill, my phone rang and I strolled toward where I’d placed it on the bed. It was Mum. “Hi,” I answered. “Do you think three pairs—”
“Eilidh.” Mum gasped out, tears in her voice.
My heart stopped. “What? What is it?”
“Someone took Millie,” Mum sobbed. “I’m so sorry.”
“Who took Millie?” I demanded, adrenaline rushing through me. An image of a woman I’d never met floated through my mind. Pamela. Millie’s mum. “How? When? Who? Have you called the police? Fyfe?”
“Yes. The police are out looking and Fyfe is on his way. I said I’d call you.
I wasn’t there. My staff were. The kids started screaming at something in the playroom so all my staff went running, leaving the nursery empty for just a few seconds.
Millie was napping in one of the cots. When they returned, Millie was gone. ”
I felt abruptly lightheaded. “Was it Pamela? Did Pamela take her?”
Mum sounded breathless with emotion. “I don’t know who did it. I’m driving back from Inverness with your dad. The police are checking the camera feeds. Fyfe is on his way to check them too.”
Sickness rolled in my stomach as I hurried downstairs in search of my car keys.
“I need to go to him,” I told Mum before hanging up.
I couldn’t fall apart. I had to keep it together.
Forcing myself not to think about Millie and how scared she must be, and that someone had stolen her …
I shoved the horror from my mind. Fyfe and Millie needed me to keep my shit together.
Who could have taken Millie?
Was it Pamela? She seemed like the most likely culprit. Right?
Fear curdled my blood.
What if it was Cameron Phillips? What if it was him or another weirdo who had fixated on me and had been watching us?
What if my past had invited another sick bastard into our lives and this was all my fault?