Pretty Ugly Lies by Pamela Crane

Author:Pamela Crane
Language: eng
Format: mobi
Publisher: Bloodhound Books
Published: 2018-07-17T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER 21

JO

Detective Tristan Cox had fed me lies. “We’ll find her,” he had told me. “We’ll do everything in our power to bring Amelia home,” he had promised. Three days had passed and my baby was still missing. Though no one said it, I knew what that meant.

There was little chance I’d ever see her again … unless it was at the morgue.

It was early afternoon when Detective Cox knocked on my door, sending me running to answer it. When I saw it was him, I wasn’t sure whether to be devastated or elated. But he was empty-handed, which couldn’t be a good sign.

“Let’s sit down,” he said as he sailed in, leading me into my own living room like I was a lost puppy.

And yet I obediently followed him, a sense of dread flowing in my wake.

We both sat on the sofa, him next to me, slightly turned to face me. I appreciated that he didn’t try to distance himself from me, though I wasn’t sure why it mattered.

“Do you have news?” I asked. I wanted news. And yet I didn’t.

He sighed before he spoke, a heavy groan that meant no. “Nothing yet. We couldn’t pull any prints from the park, but we hadn’t expected to turn up anything from those anyways. We’ve sent out an Amber Alert with her picture all over the news and social media. We’ll need to wait and let that gain some traction, then hopefully we’ll hear something.”

“Hopefully?” I choked on the word. “Hopefully isn’t good enough, Detective. Hopefully isn’t going to bring my daughter home.”

“Everyone’s looking for her. There’s only so many resources at our disposal. But we’ve contacted every police department in the area, and we’ll all keep looking until we find her. Please don’t give up hope, Jo.”

I didn’t know what to say or feel anymore. Was a part of my past linked to Amelia’s abduction? That possibility gnawed at me—especially after the letter I had received earlier that morning. It was nothing, yet maybe something. I hadn’t told anyone about it. It would destroy my already devastated life. But the timing couldn’t be ignored. I hadn’t even known his name and suddenly now, amid Amelia’s disappearance, he contacted me. Was it coincidence? Or was it a clue?

The silence between us lengthened as I pondered the significance of the letter. The postmark was three states away—a Pennsylvania zip code. If he was eight hours away, how could he have orchestrated a kidnapping? And why? It didn’t make sense that he was involved. Yet I knew, I just knew I needed to tell Detective Cox, but if I did … I couldn’t fathom the aftermath of the truth coming out.

“Are you okay?” he asked me.

I nodded numbly. I wasn’t okay. Not even close to okay.

“Is there something you need to tell me?” he probed. The guilt must be written on my face. I wondered if Jay had seen it too.

I shook my head, felt my tear ducts swell, ready to gush. As if looking down from above, I watched myself unravel.

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