43. Carter

43

CARTER

“Search party be advised.” The words crackle through the radio clipped on Officer Winston’s shoulder. The noise echoes around the empty locker room. We’ve been in here ever since I followed the man off the field, waiting for any news about my daughter.

The moment I was out of the crowd’s sight, I stripped out of my pads and jersey. I’ve been pacing the length of the locker room in my football pants and compression shirt, head spinning with endless questions and unfathomable fear.

I don’t know where Abby is. I don’t know if she’s safe. Dark possibilities of what’s happened to her make me sick to my stomach. The desire to punish anyone who hurts her rides me hard.

My cleats grind to a halt when I hear the next words that come through the radio, “ We found Abigail Jones.”

Officer Winston is quick to respond. “Where?”

“Section 105 on the suite level.”

The officer and I lock eyes and then we’re rushing for the stairwell.

“Officers posted at stadium exits are to remain in place,” Officer Winston commands into the radio, taking two steps at a time to keep up with my hurried pace. “Searching officers, join me at section 105 of the suite level.”

“Roger that,” the original voice says. “Requesting medical personnel on scene, as well.”

I trip. My hands barely stop my fall before my face collides with the concrete step.

Medical personnel?

Fear and anger twist my organs. I’m not a violent person, but if my daughter is hurt, I will not rest until whoever is responsible pays.

We reach the suite level. Officer Winston pauses to catch his breath. I have the benefit of fatherly adrenaline and being in professional football shape to conceal whatever fatigue my body may be feeling.

I push through the stairwell door and run ahead of the officer when I see a large crowd gathered around a bathroom.

“Excuse me!” I bark as I push my way through the crowd. “I need to see my daughter.”

“Dad!”

Tears of relief spring in my eyes when I hear my daughter cry out my name.

I break through the last row of onlookers and kneel, catching Abby as she flings herself into my arms with a choked sob.

“I’m sorry, Dad,” she cries. “I didn’t realize she wasn’t nice. I thought she was going to take me down to see you.”

Abby’s rambling gives me pieces of the deception used to get her to leave the safety of the suite with my family. Speaking of family, I need to send them a text to let them know Abby’s been found.

Last I heard, my parents, Carlee, and Corey were doing their part to scour the stadium for Abby. But they can wait a minute or two. Right now, I refuse to let go of my daughter.

“It’s all right.” I hold her tight and slowly let all the fears of what could have happened fade from my mind, reassured by her small arms wrapped around my neck.

Remembering the request for medical help, I reluctantly lean back and look her over from head to toe. “Are you hurt?”

She shakes her head. Her eyes are red from crying. “No, but she hurt Valerie.”

My heart drops.

“What?”

“Valerie helped me,” she chokes out. “And the lady from the science fair hurt her.”

Sara.

Sara did this?

A screech draws my attention to my left where, sure enough, Sara is being led away by two officers. Handcuffs encircle her wrists. “Let me go,” she yells. “I wasn’t kidnapping her. I’m friends with her dad!”

Unfucking believable.

I stand. My limbs shake with anger, and my hands itch to wrap themselves around the crazy woman’s neck and throttle her for daring to touch my kid.

My movement draws Sara’s attention.

Her angry features immediately morph into relief. “Carter! You’re here! Tell them we’re friends. This is all a misunderstanding.”

I see red.

“Officer Winston.” The man who’d kept me company in the locker room is quickly at my side. He’s no longer winded.

“Yes, Mr. Jones?”

“I have a restraining order against that woman,” my voice is hard and unyielding. I make sure it’s loud enough for Sara to hear. “I’d like to press charges against her to the fullest extent of the law.”

The delusional woman’s features twist into something ugly. “How dare you! We’re friends, Carter. We’re meant to be more! You’re making a huge mistake.”

“The only mistake I made was ever showing you kindness.” The words are cruel. They aren’t something I’d normally say. But all niceties flew out the window when this woman dared to lay a hand on my daughter. And Valerie.

The reminder has me scanning the area for my girlfriend. Former girlfriend. Future girlfriend if I have anything to say about it.

Sara realizes what I’m doing. Struggling against the officers, she screams, “I should have cut that bitch’s face off!”

“Get her out of here,” Officer Winston barks. Sara is carried away kicking and screaming.

Screw what I said about hoping she gets the help she needs. I want her locked away. Then, once she can’t let her intrusive thoughts lead her to endangering me or my loved ones, she can get whatever help doctors and therapists can give her.

Until then, I don’t care if she is put in a concrete cell all by herself. She deserves it for what she put my daughter through.

“Where’s Valerie Palmer?” I shout to no one in particular. I don’t know who to ask. I just know I need to find her. “She’s a brunette with green eyes.” I bend down and pick up Abby before I begin walking the area in search of the woman. “Where is she?”

“I’m here, Carter.”

I whip around and see Valerie seated on a gurney. An EMT is hunched over her arm, cleaning a nasty cut that I can see from here.

In a blink, I’m at her side. “What happened?”

Valerie puts on a brave face, but I see the way her bottom lip trembles. “She threw a knife at my face but luckily had terrible aim.” She clears her throat. “A cop ran into the bathroom a few seconds later and subdued her before she could try to attack me again. I’m fine.”

Her disheveled appearance makes me think there was more of a scuffle than she’s saying. She glances meaningfully at Abby, and I keep my suspicion to myself.

I take my first full breath since I heard Abby was missing and exhale. “You found Abby?”

She nods.

“Thank you,” I choke on the words.

Her gaze softens. “Of course.”

“Can I sit next to Valerie?” Abby asks.

The EMT looks up and nods before resuming his task.

“Sure.” I sit my daughter on the gurney next to her former nanny. Abby immediately leans into Valerie who wraps her uninjured arm around her shoulders.

“Are you okay?” Valerie asks Abby softly.

“Yeah.” Abby returns just as quietly. “That was scary.”

“Yeah.” She squeezes her tighter, and her haunted eyes find mine. “It was.”