Page 131 of Daddies on Ice

The next few hours blur together in a nightmare of flashing lights, questions, and forms to fill out.

The police take our statements, get descriptions of the girls, and issue an Amber Alert.

The hotel manager, a nervous man in his fifties, assures us that they’re reviewing all the security footage.

I can’t sit still. Every few minutes, I find myself pacing the lobby, checking my phone for any missed calls or messages, even though I know there aren’t any.

Carl tries to get me to eat something, but the thought of food makes my stomach turn.

“She’s only five,” I whisper to him during one of our quiet moments. We’re sitting on a couch in the lobby, and his arm isaround me, solid and warm. “They’re still babies, Carl. What if someone took them? What if?—”

“Stop.” His voice is firm but gentle. “We can’t think like that. Krystal is smart, and so is Becky. They’re together, which means they’re looking out for each other.”

I want to believe him, but the fear is eating me alive. Jake brings me coffee that I don’t drink, and Ash updates us every time he talks to the police.

The security footage shows the girls leaving through a side exit around nine-fifteen, but the cameras don’t cover the parking lot on that side of the building.

“They walked out on their own,” the detective tells us. “No signs of struggle or coercion. It looks like they left willingly.”

That should be reassuring, but it’s not. If anything, it makes me more worried. Why would they leave? Where would they go?

As the night wears on, more people arrive to help with the search.

Some of the other hockey players show up, along with hotel staff and even a few guests who heard what was happening.

The outpouring of support should comfort me, but all I can think about is Becky and Krystal out there somewhere in the dark.

Carl never leaves my side.

Even when the police want to interview him separately about Krystal, he insists on staying close enough that I can see him.

Every time our eyes meet, I see my own fear reflected back at me, but also something else—a fierce determination that reminds me why I’ve fallen so hard for this man.

Jake tries to keep the mood light, cracking jokes and telling stories, but I can see the worry in his green eyes.

Ash coordinates with the police and search teams with military precision, but his jaw is tight with tension.

The sun is just starting to peek over the horizon when I hear it – the sound of children’s laughter echoing through the lobby.

My head snaps up, and I see them: Becky and Krystal, walking through the front doors hand in hand, looking perfectly fine.

“Mommy!” Becky runs toward me, her face bright with excitement, completely oblivious to the chaos she’s caused.

I drop to my knees and pull her into my arms, holding her so tight she squeaks in protest. “Becky, oh my god, where were you? We’ve been looking everywhere!”

Carl has Krystal in his arms, and I can see his hands shaking as he holds her. “Sweetheart, you scared Grandpa so much. Where did you go?”

“We went on an adventure!” Becky announces proudly. “We met a really nice man, and he took us to get ice cream and showed us his motorcycle!”

My blood turns to ice. “What man, baby? What man did you meet?”

“He was really cool, Mommy. He had pretty eyes like yours, and he knew all about you!” Becky’s excitement is infectious, but all I feel is a growing sense of dread.

“Becky,” I say, trying to keep my voice calm even though my heart is racing. “What was the man’s name?”

She grins up at me, her dark eyes sparkling with innocence. “He told me to call him Daddy.”

The world stops.