Chapter Twenty-Seven
Twenty-Seven
Olivia
Little Angels Daycare:Elizabeth Creed has been successfully checked out. Have a great day!
The text message was burned into my brain like a fiery brand, forcing terrified breaths to nearly choke me as I pushed my ancient sedan toward the daycare.
There was a very short list of people who had permission to pick up my daughter—my parents, my brother, and my cousin Asher because he lived locally. That was it. And none of them were picking her up today. The text had to be an error.
But the daycare wasn’t answering their phones for me to verify, so I was going to see for myself, and to grab Elizabeth early. I didn’t even stop to call Justin, though I knew I probably should’ve. I just wanted to get to her and see her with my own eyes.
“Oh God, oh God...” I chanted in a panicked prayer as I drove, unable to articulate any other words. It was all I had to give in that moment, but I hoped it was enough. “Please let it be a dumb mistake.”
I ignored the signs for school bus parking and skidded to a stop right in front of the center, jumping out at a full run, not stopping until I was at the front desk.
Mandy, the young receptionist, startled at my sudden entrance. “Ms. Creed? Are you... is everything okay?”
“Elizabeth?” I demanded. “Where’s Elizabeth?”
She frowned at me like I’d lost my mind. “Your cousin picked her up a little while ago.”
“My cousin?”
“Yes. Asher?” She tilted her head. “Are you feeling okay?”
“Asher picked her up?” I wilted against the counter, suddenly very confused. “You’re sure?”
“I mean, he had an ID.” She came around the counter to stand next to me like she was worried I was about to fall over. “I thought it was a little odd that you hadn’t mentioned he’d be coming by, but he’s on your approved list, so I figured you just forgot.”
Asher.
Asher was safe.
But... no. I looked up into her confused gray eyes. “I didn’t forget,” I whispered.
“What?”
Just then the door swung open, letting in a gust of fresh air.
“Olivia!”
I met Justin’s stormy gaze, and a cry broke from my lips as he rushed me. Thank God. I’d never needed to see anyone so much in my life.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
“She’s gone,” I said into his chest, fear like ice in my veins.
“What? Who’s gone?” He curled an arm around me and turned toward Mandy. “Where’s Elizabeth?”
“As I was just telling Ms. Creed, her cousin, Asher, picked her up a little while ago. He seemed in a hurry, as a matter of fact. Just signed her out and took her right from the playground.”
“Was Asher supposed to get Lizzie today?” he murmured to me.
I shook my head as I began to tremble, fighting back the vomit that rushed up my throat.
I felt his entire body go rigid. “Did you check his ID?”
“Of course.”
“What did he look like?”
Mandy paused as I glanced over, obviously figuring out that something was not right. “Was it not... do we need to call the police?”
“I’ll take care of that,” he said. “Now describe him.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Um... I don’t know. He was tall. Maybe five-eleven. Thin. Tanned skin. Um... green or hazel eyes, I think?”
Everything in me shriveled up and I would have collapsed except that Justin held me up. He ushered me over to a nearby chair, and never straying more than three feet from me, he yanked out his cell phone and called the police, his boss, Kade, and Camden to get the word out, all while directing the owner of the daycare how to secure the premises and demanding the security footage.
A few minutes later, he crouched down in front of me. “You okay?”
“No.”
“I know it’s hard, but let’s not panic yet. That doesn’t do any of us any good. Especially Elizabeth.” He was so focused, I could see why he was a decorated SEAL.
“Is it Christoph?” That seemed the most likely. I just couldn’t figure out why he’d go to these lengths. And why now?
“It could be,” he said cryptically, making me wonder if he knew something I didn’t. “I still haven’t totally ruled out Sofia’s ex. Can we call her and see if she’s heard from him again?”
I frowned at the sudden turn that forced my brain to take. I honestly hadn’t thought about that issue in a while. “She called in sick to work today, but I’m sure she’d answer if I called.”
He stared at me as three police cars pulled up outside, lights and sirens blaring. “She called out? Today?”
“Yes. Why?”
He spun to meet the officers, exchanging a few words with them before turning back to me. “Answer their questions quickly, then we have to go.”
“What? Why?”
“Just do it.”
I didn’t argue with that tone in his voice. He was clearly on a mission, and I just hoped it had something to do with finding Elizabeth. I focused the best I could on answering all of the officers’ questions and gave them my contact information, then followed Justin out the door to his truck.
“Where are we going?” I asked as he sped us out of the lot.
“To campus.”
“To . . . why?”
He shot me a look that spoke volumes. It hit me like a ton of bricks that he didn’t trust Sofia, and I’d had her in my home. Left her alone with my child. Had I misjudged her somehow? Had I missed something?
“Justin, please,” I pleaded. “I can’t think straight right now. I need you to tell me what’s going on.”
“I’m following my gut,” he said, his gaze intense on the road. “It’s never steered me wrong before.”
I was almost afraid to ask. “And what’s your gut telling you?”
He didn’t respond, but my cell phone rang, interrupting us. I grabbed it out of my purse, praying it was news about Elizabeth.
“Hello?”
“Liv, you okay?”
I squeezed my eyes shut at Camden’s voice. “Not really.”
“What do you need from me?”
Tears leaked down my cheeks and I let them roll. “Get my baby girl back.”
“I would if I could. You know that.” His own voice was rough and choked up. “But you’ve got the best working on it. I trust Kade and his guys. Plus, I think Justin loves her as much as he loves you. He’ll hunt down whoever did this to the ends of the earth. I’d do the same for one of my girls.”
I glanced over at Justin’s stony profile, not sure what to say to that. “You know what, there is something you can do for me.”
“Name it.”
“Can you keep the family updated? I don’t have it in me to call everyone right now and...”
“I’m on it.”
“Thanks. I love you, Cam,” I whispered. “I gotta go.” I could see the campus gates approaching and I knew I needed to brace myself for whatever was coming.
“Okay. Love you too. Please promise you’ll call with any news or if you need anything. Anytime.”
“Okay.”
We hung up and a couple minutes later, Justin pulled onto the campus of Sam Houston State University and circled around in the direction of the student housing. When we arrived at Sofia’s building, I didn’t see her car, which was curious since she’d called out sick, but I didn’t say anything.
He parked and we got out, the crisp breeze spilling across my skin, nearly making me forget the reason we were there. He quickly came around and grabbed my hand, leading me up the walkway.
At her door, he pounded with three loud bangs while I looked around. Most of the kids must’ve been in class as the hall was empty, but the area was bright and open, a few students even decorating their landings with plants and cheery signs.
No answer.
Justin glanced around, then let my hand go to try the knob. It was locked, but he pulled out his pocketknife, got to work on the lock, and in seconds, it popped under his hand.
He inched open the door, peered in, then pushed it wide and ushered me inside before closing it behind us.
“Did you just... you pick locks too?” I muttered, shocked. “Is that a Navy SEAL thing?”
“Lots of things are,” he said, going to work, looking around the room, though I wasn’t sure what for, as he looked through desk drawers and rifled through books and journals.
Holy shit. It suddenly dawned on me that he was searching for clues that would tie my young friend, employee, and babysitter to the disappearance of my daughter.
“What do you want me to do?” I managed around my dry throat.
“Check the bathroom.”
“What am I looking for?”
“Anything that confirms her innocence...” He pierced me with those glacial eyes. “Or not.”
“Right.” Guess I’d know it when I saw it. I spun away and flipped on the light in the bathroom that was disorganized and full of young woman things, as if they were left in the middle of someone who was getting ready and had to leave in a hurry. Hairspray and a flat iron, gobs of makeup, skin care items, feminine hygiene products, clothes, and a towel scattered on the floor—men’s and women’s.
For some reason, seeing the men’s clothes surprised me, though I wasn’t sure why. Sofia was a pretty girl, plus she had a roommate. She just had never mentioned anyone other than her abusive ex.
I leaned down and picked up the jersey that smelled heavily of a familiar cologne. I set it on the toilet, then paused when I noticed the logo. I’d seen that one before. But where?
I was about ready to pull out my phone to search it when the upturned bag on the ground caught my eye that the jersey had been covering. Denim, Nirvana patch with black leather.
Sofia’s bag. I’d know it anywhere.
I reached down and picked it up, but it was unzipped and its contents spilled out at my feet.
Her cherry lip gloss, hair ties, gum, and ID... and a photo.
With shaking hands, I picked up the candid family photo of a young girl’s birthday party—Sofia’s, I’d guess around age eight or nine, her mother smiling down on her with her pink princess birthday cake as she stared up with the adoration that only a little girl could have for her daddy.
For Christoph.
My hand flew to my mouth, not quite believing what I was seeing, though the proof was right in front of my eyes.
“Olivia?”
I startled and flew around at Justin’s voice.
His eyes drifted down to the photo in my hand, then back up. “What is it?”
I couldn’t say anything. Instead, I handed it to him and watched as he studied the picture for several long seconds before looking back up at me.
“That’s him?”
I nodded, fresh tears swimming in my eyes. Nothing made sense in that moment. Sofia was Christoph’s daughter?
I was struck with a sudden, very intense memory of standing on his doorstep, emotionally raw after nearly losing my pregnancy, and coming face-to-face with his wife. But the part of that day I’d let fade from my recollection was the clear sound of children in the home. I’d been so focused on mine, I’d forgotten about hers.
“Come on.”
Justin’s barked order snapped me out of my spiral and I blinked up at him. “Where are we going?”
“We need to get back to your house and regroup now that I have a clearer picture of what the hell is going on here.”
“And what is that?”
He paused on his way toward the door and looked at me like it was obvious, but nothing was obvious to me. “Olivia, she’s the daughter of the ex who wished you and your child dead. It’s not really too big of a leap to think she might’ve found you, found a way into your life, to do his bidding.”
All the blood drained from my head and my knees buckled beneath me.
He was there in two long strides, catching me before I hit the floor. “Easy there, baby. We’ll find her before anything like that happens.”
“How do you know that?”
“She might have daddy issues, but I’ve met her, and she doesn’t strike me as the violent type.”
I sucked in a breath, clinging to his words, praying he knew what he was talking about. He had to. Nothing could happen to my little girl.
“Come on, baby. I got this. I got you.” He picked me up and guided me out the door and back to the truck.
The drive was a blur, and it felt like seconds, then we were back at the house. It was silent as a tomb when we walked inside.
I slumped on the couch, not sure what to do with myself, while he jumped into action, calling the police to check in and updating everyone as promised.
When he hung up and faced me again, the dam in me broke. I knew I couldn’t hold it back any longer. If I lost Elizabeth now, it would be worse than death. It would extinguish the light of my very soul. “I lied to you.”
His expression gave nothing away as he crossed his arms and studied my haggard face. “About what?”
“When you asked me if I’d ever talked to him again. I told you about our fight and the hateful things he said...”
“Okay.” His tone was not judgmental and left it wide open for me to continue, which killed me. I think, in that moment, I would’ve preferred his anger.
“I didn’t tell you that he also wrote me letters when I got home to Texas.”
“More of the same?”
I shook my head. “No. He apologized. He said he was getting a divorce and asked to reconcile.”
Hurt flashed through Justin’s eyes but he quickly banked it. “What did you say?”
“I wrote him back and told him I’d lost the baby.”
The room became silent as he processed my words. I’m sure it poked his old bruise with Tricia and her deceptions regarding pregnancy, and I hated that he might think less of me for lying, but I’d made that choice to protect my daughter and I wouldn’t apologize for it now.
“But,” I added, steeling my spine, “he didn’t believe me.”
“What do you mean?”
“He wrote me back just after she was born, saying she was his daughter too and I should remember that. It scared the hell out of me, but I never told another soul until now.” I hugged myself to ward off the sudden chill. “Until this.”