Chapter 31
Declan
It only took twenty-four hours before the cops showed up at the tattoo shop. “I’m looking for a Becca Miles,” a mid-twenties-something cop says when he enters the shop. He’s followed by a middle-aged-looking officer with a beer gut.
“Can I ask what this is about?”
“She’s been charged with assault and battery. I have to take her in for processing.”
I cross my arms over my chest. “According to whom?”
I have a good four inches on the kid, and he works a swallow before saying, “Bradley Elias.”
I nod my head. “You mean the guy who verbally defamed my wife? Or the one who called Becca a whore?”
The kids' eyes widen, and the bigger man steps up. “He came in with a bruised jaw and filed charges. Unfortunately, words are just words, but because this Becca woman physically put her hands on him, and he pressed charges, we have to take her in.”
I let out a frustrated breath. “Give me a minute,” I say, and walk to the break room.
Becca has her headphones on and is jamming out, clueless as to what’s going on. Her gaze catches mine as I enter the room, and she goes from happy to serious in point five seconds. “What’s wrong?”
“The cops are here.”
Her eyes widen, and then she lets out a humorless chuckle. “That little prick is pressing charges, isn’t he?”
“He is.” She shakes her head in disbelief. Before she can stand, I tell her, “Don’t say anything to them. Just let them take you in. I’m going to get you a lawyer as quickly as I can.”
“I’ll just get a public defender. It’s not a big deal.”
I shake my head. “This guy's mom is Senator Elias.”
Her eyes widen in shock. “The wicked witch?” she whispers like the woman herself will hear from hundreds of miles away.
I nod my head. “Yes. Just trust me, okay? Don’t say anything.”
She swears but gets up and heads out to the front of the shop with her head held high. The cops are nice enough not to take her away in cuffs, but it still doesn’t make it any better.
I pick up my phone and let out a breath before hitting the call button on a number I haven’t used in years.
“Son?” My father’s voice comes through the other line after only one ring.
“Hey, dad. It’s been a while.”
~ ~ ~
Penny
Jordan decided to spend the day with me, and we head to Autumn’s preschool to pick her up after grabbing a quick appetizer at Paddy’s. When we get there, I don’t see Autumn outside waiting like normal.
“Hey, Tracey,” I greet her teacher as we walk up to the preschool.
“Penny, hi!” She smiles back.
“Where’s Autumn?”
“What do you mean? She’s with Declan.”
Jordan speaks next. “Declan came and got her? When?”
Tracey knows that Jordan and my mom and dad are the only people who are allowed to pick her up, and more recently Declan, who she hasn’t met yet.
Her brows furrow in confusion. “Like fifteen minutes ago.”
I relax just slightly and nod. “Oh. Right. Okay, thank you.”
Jordan grabs my hand before we turn to leave. “Declan didn’t say anything to you?”
I shake my head. “No. But he’s on the list.”
“He would have at least texted you, right?”
My gut is telling me the same thing. We look at each other and both start running the three blocks back towards the shop. We enter Blank Canvas Ink, and Declan is on his phone.
“Just a minute,” he says to the person on the other line.
“Is Autumn here with you?” I ask, my voice shaking with panic. My heart is beating out of my chest, and I’m afraid of what he’s going to say next.
“No. I’ve been here all day,” he tells me, confusion setting in.
My heart drops. “Call the cops,” I whisper to the room.
Just before everything goes dark, I can hear Declan say, “Dad, I need your help.”
~ ~ ~
“Penny, wake up. Come on, baby,” Declan says softly.
My eyelids flutter open, and panic instantly ensues. “Autumn. Where’s Autumn?”
Declan’s yellow-green eyes pierce mine, and I can tell from his expression that it’s not good. “The cops are on their way. And Lucas met Jordan down at the school to check the security cameras.”
I’ve somehow ended up on the couch in the sitting area of the tattoo shop, and Declan helps me sit up.
My eyes start to burn, and Declan wraps his arms around my shoulders. “We’re going to find her, I promise.”
A sob escapes me, and I bury my head in his chest. This is literally my worst nightmare come to life. “He did it, didn’t he? He fucking took her,” I state.
“I’m pretty sure,” he confirms with a grim expression.
A moment later, the police show up, and the chaos starts.
The police ask me question after question. What was Autumn wearing? Can they have the most recent photo of her? And why would Bradley Elias take Autumn?
They nod and jot down notes as I tell them everything, but I feel numb to their questions. I want to know where the fuck my daughter is.
“We’ll have officers look into him,” is all they tell me. By the look on their faces, I can tell they don’t believe that the senator’s son would kidnap my daughter.
Lucas and Jordan finally arrive back from the preschool, and I can tell it’s not good. “We’ve got him on tape,” he tells me and the cops, confirming that the person who took my daughter really was Brad.
Lucas shows them the tape, and that’s when they start to take me seriously. Putting a BOLO out not just for my kid but for Brad as well.
Jordan wraps me in a hug while we listen to the cops relay information over their radios. “She’s going to be okay. He’s the senator's son. He won’t do anything to hurt Autumn,” Jordan reassures me.
“Why would he do this, though? Why? How did he even figure out Declan was approved for the pickup list?”
She shakes her head. “I don’t know. But considering he’s the senator’s son, I think he has ways.”
If he does anything to hurt my kid, I’m not sure I’ll survive it. I knew Brad was narcissistic, but I didn’t realize he was also a psychopath. You have to have some screws loose to kidnap a child. Did he really think he was going to get away with this?
Once my parents finally show up, I break down once more. If I had just told them who Autumn’s father was, maybe I could have avoided this whole situation.
I don’t know how much time passes before the cops start to trickle out, and only two officers are left to hang around while we wait for more information.
The officers stay down in their car, and the rest of us file upstairs to the apartment while my mom makes a platter of food, all of which makes my stomach turn.
I don’t let go of Declan’s hand the whole time and can’t stop thinking about the worst-case scenario.
Eventually, there’s a knock at the door, and my head instantly snaps to the sound, hoping it’s the cops with good news. My mom swings the door wide, and two men I have never seen before stand there with Becca. She pushes her way through the door and comes to the couch to smother me in a hug.
“That fucking asshole will get what’s coming to him. I swear to God, Penny. I will make his life a living hell. He doesn’t get to talk about you like that.”
“I don’t understand. You weren’t at the shop. Why are you here?” I ask with confusion but am also grateful to have her support.
“You didn’t hear?” She furrows her brows and looks to Declan.
Declan shakes his head, and she looks back at me.
“That Brad guy pressed charges against me because I punched him in the face yesterday. The cops picked me up earlier, and Declan’s fancy-ass dad and lawyer came to my rescue just a little bit ago. ”
My eyes widen in shock, and I look to Declan. Why would he call his dad? I vaguely remember him saying something on the phone before I passed out, but as far as I knew, he didn’t have a relationship with his father.
He gives me a strained smile and plants a kiss on the top of my head before greeting the two men.
Now that I know who they are, I can tell exactly which one is Declan’s father.
He stands just an inch shorter but has the same yellow-green eyes and complexion as Declan.
His salt and pepper hair is expertly styled back, and he’s wearing an expensive black suit with a white button-down.
He looks like he has money. Lots and lots of money.
“Dad,” Lucas says, and reaches his arm out for a handshake from both men.
“Son.”
They give each other terse nods, and the two gentlemen step inside.
Declan comes over to me and takes my hand to help me stand. “This is my father, Phillip, and his lawyer, Carlisle,” he tells me. “And this is my wife, Penny,” he turns to his father to tell him.
You could hear a pin drop with how quiet it gets. Everyone in the room stops what they're doing and stares at Declan and me. My cheeks heat and I push my hair behind my ears. Jordan and my mom know about the marriage but none of the men do.
Declan’s father’s eyes go wide. “You’re wife? You’re married?” he asks softly, shock written all over his face.
He sounds hurt. His reaction is a far cry from how I expected it to be. From everything Declan has told me, his father is self-centered and doesn’t give a shit about his kids. I can tell by his facial expression, though, that he’s taken aback by this revelation.
“Yeah. My wife,” Declan tells him.
“You guys are fucking married?!” Becca chimes in. Loudly.
“I’m pretty sure we all know,” my dad says a second later, eating a grape like he doesn’t have a care in the world.
My gaze snaps to my mom and she looks guilty as hell. Jordan has the same look on her face. I thought they were both good at keeping secrets. I guess I was wrong.
“Why am I always left out of everything?” Becca throws her hands in the air dramatically.
Declan’s father looks to the floor and then back at us.
“Congratulations, you two.” He gives each of us a warm smile, and I return the gesture.
It’s weird, seeing the man you’ve heard nothing but bad things about, act like he cares.
I’m not sure if it’s a front or if he really does have a heart.
“You told me over the phone you had another big problem. What is it?” he asks, changing the subject.
I have no idea what information Declan told him, but it doesn’t sound like much. I’m not exactly sure why he’s here in the first place. It’s not like he can help us.
Declan lets out a breath before saying, “Penny’s daughter was kidnapped.”
Phillip looks at me, shocked. “You have a child?”
I nod my head. “She’s five.”
“I don’t understand. What do you mean she was kidnapped? I’m not sure I can help you with that.”
Declan looks at me and then at his dad. “Senator Elias’s son is Autumn’s biological father, and he took her from her school today. It’s been hours, and the police haven’t found any leads.”
Phillip’s eyes turn hard, and I nod my head in confirmation.
His nostrils flare, and he looks to Carlisle. “Let us make some more calls. We’ll get this figured out.” He doesn’t say anything more as he and the lawyer walk out the door, both with serious expressions on their faces.
I turn to Declan, who runs a hand through his hair.
“Does he know the senator?” I ask, more than a little confused.
He looks at me like he’s guilty of something, and then grabs my hand and pulls us to the bedroom with everyone staring after us.
Once the door shuts, he blows out a breath. “My father has a bunch of contacts because he owns The Regal Grand Hotel chain.”
I blink once. Twice. And a third time before my brain processes what he just said. “I don’t think I heard you right. Can you repeat that?”
He scratches the back of his neck. “My great-grandfather opened the first hotel, and my grandfather and dad made it into what it is today.”
I stare at Declan in shock. The Regal Grand Hotel has numerous locations all over the United States.
It’s an exclusive hotel. Expensive. Now that I think of it, neither he nor Kate told me what their dad did for a living.
Kate only said that she worked for her father, never mentioning anything else.
I try to wrack my brain for any other clue that would have led me to believe that his family was rich, but I come up with nothing.
Declan lives a humble life and has never once mentioned any of this.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you sooner. But I haven’t talked to my dad in a long time. His lawyer is in-house, so I thought it would be the best bet to get him here to help with everything. He knows a lot of powerful people.”
I start to pace the room and rub my forehead. “Okay. Besides the fact that in all our conversations you left out that your father is the owner of one of the most exclusive hotel chains in the U.S., do you really think he can help find Autumn?”
“I know, and I’m sorry. He hasn’t been a part of my life for so long that I didn’t think it was important.
It’s been years since I’ve spoken to him, and our last conversation didn’t end so well.
But Kate seems to think he’s turning over a new leaf, and if I know one thing, he’s highly connected.
I took a chance on if he would even show up, and it paid off.
And I think he’s going to try his hardest to help us. ”
I sit on the edge of the bed and stare up at Declan.
This is a lot of information to take in.
I just assumed I would never meet my mother or father-in-law because of how Declan spoke of them.
And now Declan’s father is here in my apartment, helping us.
The last twenty-four hours have been a whirlwind, and I’m not sure what to think at this point.
“We can trust him?” I ask.
Declan takes a seat next to me. “Yeah. I think we can. Kate trusts him, so I do too.”
I nod my head. “Okay.” There’s not much else to say.
The more people helping us try to find Autumn, the better.
I’m not going to turn away a rich, powerful man who’s willing to make calls on our behalf.
It doesn’t feel like the police are getting anywhere, so I’m going to take all the help we can get and be grateful for it.
“Okay.” Declan nods his head. “I want to explain everything, but now is not the time. Let’s go wait and see what my dad finds out.”
I give him an understanding smile. “You’re right. Let’s go find our girl.”
He threads his hand through the hair at the nape of my neck and brings my mouth to his, planting a languid kiss on my lips. He teases my mouth open with his tongue for a brief moment before pulling back.
“Let’s go find our girl.”