Detective Nolan stepped forward. Calm and controlled. He placed a hand on my arm like he knew me.
“I swear, we have every available unit out there. We won’t stop until we find the person who did this. But, so far, it looks like a violent robbery gone wrong. Both of their wallets are missing. And their wedding bands. Mr. Alderwyn and Amanda confirmed that Lacey and Zach usually wore them. We have no reason to believe anybody will come after your daughter or Amanda. But it would really help us if you could answer a few questions.”
I gave a small nod.
“Did Lacey mention anything unusual about the trip? Anyone else coming?”
“No.” I shook my head. “All she said was she was carpooling with Zach.”
He pulled out a notepad and started scribbling.
“Did they usually ride together?”
“Yes,” I confirmed. “To the lake house, at least. Her pharmacy is just down the road from his office.”
“Anything strange that morning? When she left?”
“She had an early shift. Grabbed her bag and left. Nothing abnormal.”
My throat closed up as a terrible thought entered my mind. What if Lacey had been raped?
“My daughter,” I started, but my voice was barely holding. “Has she been—”
I couldn’t say it. My body trembled all over. The idea made me want to throw up.
“I need to see her,” I demanded. “Now!”
Gently, I eased away from Amanda and stepped toward the door.
“Ms. Kolter, wait,” Nolan called after me. “I need to tell you something.”
But I was already opening the door.
The hallway blurred. Machines beeped.
I strode past carts and nurses, straight down the hall, and yanked open the door to room 12.
But I wasn’t ready for what was waiting inside. My body jerked back as my hand shot up to my neck. “Dear God.”
Lacey sat upright on the bed, wearing a hospital gown. A doctor stood over her, shining a light into her eyes. Two nurses flanked him.
I almost didn’t recognize her.
Her hair was soaked in dried blood. Matted. Tangled with dirt and leaves. Thick blood streaks ran down her neck and across her temple like Viking war paint. Her face and armslooked like someone had tried to wipe her clean with a wet napkin and given up halfway. Just smears of pink and red everywhere.
The bandage on her forehead was already smudged with red too.
Her eyes met mine. Brown, blank, dull. Nothing behind them.
“Sweetheart!” My voice fell apart. Tears burst out of me as I crossed the room in two desperate strides and grabbed her. Held her. Pressed her to my chest so tight that nothing could tear her away again.
Not even the nurse who latched onto my arm.
“Ma’am, you can’t be in here right now.” Her voice was sharp and demanding.
I didn’t move.
The other nurse came at me from the side. Hands on my other arm.
