“How!” Noah stood between the kitchen and the living room, wanting to tell Norton to look again, to figure out how somebodyhad come into their house in the middle of the night, crept up the stairs, and snatched sweet Charlotte from her bed.
Across from him, Delaney was curled into the corner of the sofa, her knees drawn up, her arms wrapped around her shins. Tears tracked silently down her cheeks, and every few seconds, her shoulders shook with a suppressed sob.
On the other side of the windows, Jasper paced in the backyard, phone pressed to his ear.
“Did you give the code to anyone?” Norton asked, pen poised over his notepad.
“Of course not.”
“A repairman, delivery?—?”
“I said no!” Noah hadn’t meant to shout and regretted his volume when Delaney startled.
“Sorry,” he muttered.
The detective’s gaze shifted to her. “Miss Wright?”
She lifted her head, swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. “I never told anyone the code. I wouldn’t.”
“Ma’am.” The detective’s tone was patient and understanding, and Noah got the feeling he plucked that chord when he thought he’d found his mark and wanted to lull them into letting their guard down.
“It’s obvious you care very much about Charlotte,” Norton said. “I saw you with her the day after your accident. I know you love her. And I know you want to help us find her. You’re not going to be in any trouble, I promise. But you need to tell me everything, right now.”
Her expression shifted from heartbroken to shocked to offended. She straightened her legs and dropped her feet to the floor, then stood. “Detective Norton, I love Charlotte with all my heart, and I wouldn’t do anything to harm her.”
“I’m not saying you did. But maybe someone you’ve been spending time with? A friend, or a boyfriend?”
Her gaze flicked to Noah, barely a glance, but the detective couldn’t have missed it. He didn’t say anything, just let his question hang in the air.
“The only people I know in Driftwood are Noah and Charlotte and a woman I thought was my friend. We’ve already told you about her.”
They’d explained all about Heather/Violet when he’d arrived.
“We’re looking for her now.” The detective’s tone was placating, bordering on patronizing. “But if there’s anything else you should tell us…”
“I would do anything to get her back, detective.”
Jasper stepped through the patio doors, his face grim.
“Who were you talking to?” Noah asked.
“I have some contacts. Hopefully, one will call me back soon. Violet’s not answering.” Jasper’s face was pale, but his eyes blazed with fury.
Noah understood that. He had to focus on what was happening around him or else he’d go crazy imagining what Charlotte was going through.
The clock ticked, and every minute that passed was one more minute the kidnapper—orkidnappers—had to escape with her.
Detective Norton studied Delaney for another long moment, then focused on Jaz. “We’ve got an APB out on Ms. Bosch, and we’re checking known addresses. If she’s in the area, we’ll find her.”
“If?” Noah’s voice cracked on the word. “She has to be in the area.” If she wasn’t…she could be anywhere.
The detective’s expression remained maddeningly calm. “We don’t know anything for certain yet, Mr. Aylett. We need to explore all possibilities.”
Noah squeezed the bridge of his nose and concentrated on what he’d seen the night before. “She was getting into a sedan.”He looked at Delaney. “It was a Cadillac, right? You saw that, didn’t you?”
“I did, yes.”
Noah faced the detective. “She was with Frederick Hayes.”
