“How so?”
“He is well-liked by all the patients.Especially since,” she glances up into my eyes.“...he’s a good-looking guy, so...”She trails off, and I hate him already.“People like him.”
“So, you don’t think she’s with the boyfriend.”
“No, and don’t laugh.Obviously, you were a Marshal, but I think someone may have kidnapped her.”
“Okay.”
Caylee blushes.“I have a theory before you make fun of me.Maybe they want money.Her parents are well off.”
I doubt it.This isn’t a nineties action movie.
“Yeah, maybe.Hopefully, she will be returned.”I run a hand over her hair, knowing I’ll be picking up the pieces of this conversation when she isn’t.
“So why did she meet her mom downstairs?Don’t the parents come to the office?
Caylee sighs.“Yes, but apparently there was a conflict, and Brad said we’d take care of her.”
I bet he did.
A chill runs down my spine.
“So, he knew she was meeting her mom downstairs?”
Her face pales.“I don’t know.Oh god, do you think he’s involved?No way.He would never do anything.Jake, he never left the office.”
The last thing I need is her repeating this conversation to him if he’s involved in any way.
“No, of course not.How could he?”I shake my head.
There are plenty of ways.
She nods in agreement and relaxes in my arms.
“Right.”
“But I should have gone downstairs with her to wait for her mom.It was so remiss of me.”Caylee drops her face into her hands, and I hate that she’s blaming herself.“Brad had arranged it with her mom weeks ago.”
Did he just?
“Hey, it’s not your fault.”I wrap my arms around her and make hushing sounds.
“What if it is?What if she was kidnapped, Jake?”
Oh, baby, it’s so much fucking worse than you could ever know, and I am going to make sure you are clear that this is not your fault.
There was no way Caylee could have stopped this.
She might have been kidnapped, it’s true.But it’s very fucking unlikely.
I lift her chin.“Caylee, this wasn’t your doing.You are not law enforcement, and you couldn’t have stopped it.Assuming she’s not tucked up in her boyfriend’s bed.”
She’s not.
“She’s only fifteen.”
I almost cringe.I’ve lived through this when my cousin was taken.It was before Becca was killed, and I’m almost certain it triggered my father’s drinking habit.Donna, who was much older than me, was the first baby in our family—my uncle’s kid—and after she was taken, he took his own life.Then my aunt moved to another state, and from what I remember, we just didn’t hear from her again.
