Page 129 of Denial
I shake my head. “I don’t know.”
“What else?” he continues, coaxing her softly.
She coughs. “I don’t know. Th-The one with black hair he-he covered my mouth and told me not to scream.”
My stomach roils, and my heart pounds so hard I’m certain Silas can hear it.
More cruisers arrive, and sirens fill the air. People I trust are here to help. Determination starts to take the place of some of the fear occupying my gut.
Captain strides over, his face severe. “Fill me in, Sutton.”
“My daughter was found crying, and my nanny is missing. I need a full canvass of the park, and I need to know where we are with Lanighan and whether a warrant was issued for his video footage. Get together everything you have on him.” I glance around the group now slowly forming and stand with my daughter in my arms. “Marlowe, knock on every door here and see what they have for security systems and doorbell footage. Ask for it. If anyone says no, get in contact with their security company and tell them it’s life and death.”
“Sutton, keep a calm head, son,” Captain says.
“I am calm,” I bite out.
“Captain?” Marlowe asks, that one word asking permission.
“Go,” he says, choosing wisely not to contradict me.
“I need to get to the station.” I juggle Nellie in my arms. She cries quietly on my shoulder with her eyes closed, arms tightening to near choking levels.
Captain puts his hand on the opposite shoulder. “You need to get her home. We’ve got it from here.”
“I’m not sitting on my ass at home. Not while my woman is out there.”
His weathered brown eyes meet my steely blues. “Your little girl needs you right now.”
As soon as he says it, I know I’m caught in the middle. There’s my daughter, who needs her dad, and my woman, who needs her man. Both I’ve sworn to protect. Neither one I can face letting down. My arm nearly convulses around my daughter as my worst fears come true.
“You can’t leave her,” Silas cautions quietly.
“I can’t leave Alice either.” The words slice my vocal cords like razors.
Silas grips the back of my neck, swaying me. “Trust me to handle this side for you. Just for a little while. I’ll call you the second we have any information.”
It pains me to agree, so I don’t. Not out loud, anyway. As if that’ll somehow make it less real.
“Call everybody. Call Lee, Jack, Jude, all of ’em. Get them to my house. I need people to take care of Nellie so I can get out there, and I need people who are able to look.”
Silas lets go. “I will.”
I look from my brother to my mentor. “Don’t let me down, Captain.”
“You know I won’t.”
I hope like fuck this is one of those days where everyone can keep their promises.
Me included.
36
Sutton
I pacefrom the living room to the kitchen, feeling like a caged animal in my own damn house.
People surround me. Too many people. Yet the person I want most is nowhere to be found.
