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Asher was safe.
But... no. I looked up into her confused gray eyes. “I didn’t forget,” I whispered.
“What?”
Just then the door swung open, letting in a gust of fresh air.
“Olivia!”
I met Justin’s stormy gaze, and a cry broke from my lips as he rushed me. Thank God. I’d never needed to see anyone so much in my life.
“What’s going on?” he demanded.
“She’s gone,” I said into his chest, fear like ice in my veins.
“What? Who’s gone?” He curled an arm around me and turned toward Mandy. “Where’s Elizabeth?”
“As I was just telling Ms. Creed, her cousin, Asher, picked her up a little while ago. He seemed in a hurry, as a matter of fact. Just signed her out and took her right from the playground.”
“Was Asher supposed to get Lizzie today?” he murmured to me.
I shook my head as I began to tremble, fighting back the vomit that rushed up my throat.
I felt his entire body go rigid. “Did you check his ID?”
“Of course.”
“What did he look like?”
Mandy paused as I glanced over, obviously figuring out that something was not right. “Was it not... do we need to call the police?”
“I’ll take care of that,” he said. “Now describe him.”
Tears filled her eyes. “Um... I don’t know. He was tall. Maybe five-eleven. Thin. Tanned skin. Um... green or hazel eyes, I think?”
Everything in me shriveled up and I would have collapsed except that Justin held me up. He ushered me over to a nearby chair, and never straying more than three feet from me, he yanked out his cell phone and called the police, his boss, Kade, and Camden to get the word out, all while directing the owner of the daycare how to secure the premises and demanding the security footage.
A few minutes later, he crouched down in front of me. “You okay?”
“No.”
“I know it’s hard, but let’s not panic yet. That doesn’t do any of us any good. Especially Elizabeth.” He was so focused, I could see why he was a decorated SEAL.
“Is it Christoph?” That seemed the most likely. I just couldn’t figure out why he’d go to these lengths. And why now?
“It could be,” he said cryptically, making me wonder if he knew something I didn’t. “I still haven’t totally ruled out Sofia’s ex. Can we call her and see if she’s heard from him again?”
I frowned at the sudden turn that forced my brain to take. I honestly hadn’t thought about that issue in a while. “She called in sick to work today, but I’m sure she’d answer if I called.”
He stared at me as three police cars pulled up outside, lights and sirens blaring. “She called out? Today?”
“Yes. Why?”
He spun to meet the officers, exchanging a few words with them before turning back to me. “Answer their questions quickly, then we have to go.”
“What? Why?”
“Just do it.”