Page 115 of Sing with Me

As for Diehl, he felt better this afternoon. His headache had gone away. He could use a nap, but he’d just go to bed earlier tonight.

“Did you check my house in Atlanta?” Diehl asked Malik.

“Yes, sir. Nobody’s there. It’s all locked up. Alarm is working.”

“Okay. So Elisa didn’t find her way back home to our house.”

“Not that we know of,” Malik said. “If I may, there’s one more thing.”

“What?” Diehl and Mom said together.

“May I suggest that we offer reward money for the safe return of your daughter?” Malik asked.

“How much do you recommend?” Diehl asked.

“Ten thousand is a good start.”

“Double it,” Diehl said. “It’s my daughter we’re talking about.”

And he meant it.

Mom looked tired, worn out. She started to cry softly. She chuckled as she cried. Very odd. “Look at me. I’m crying over my granddaughter—and yet she is not mine, not biologically.”

“My name is on the birth certificate. I’m her father.” It was all Diehl said. He realized that he had been aggrieved for two days over Isobel’s deception, but Elisa’s disappearance changed everything. He wanted her back alive and well. They could fix or sort out the rest.

Malik nodded slightly. “Spoken like a father, sir.”

Diehl didn’t reply. He wasn’t sure if he was much of a father—being drunk on the job. If he had stayed at Mom’s house instead of passing out at Brinley’s beach cottage, would Elisa still be with them today?

Well, that won’t happen again.

He made the promise to himself and to God—if God heard him. He wanted God to hear his prayers. But the barrier was there. Skye had pointed it out the night they FaceTimed.

You know you can’t be partially saved. Either you’re all saved or you’re not. You can’t be half-saved.

Was that why there seemed to be something preventing Diehl and Skye from being transparent with each other? They didn’t seem to be on the same page spiritually.

“Mom, do you want to rest for a little bit before dinner?” Diehl asked. “I’ll walk you back to the big house.”

Mom nodded. “I need to call Brin. See how she’s doing on bedrest.”

“I’ll come back,” Diehl said to Malik.

“Very well, sir,” Malik said. “I’ve called Helen Hu per your request. She’s sending one of her PIs and he’s arriving after dinner at eight.”

“I want to be here when you brief him. Who is Helen sending?”

“Earl Young. I was his commanding officer in the Army. He’s solid.”

“I don’t know him though. Is he one of Helen’s best?”

“Yes. She said to trust him like you’d trust her. If you like, I can text you when Earl gets here,” Malik said.

“Do that.”

“We go to night shift at eleven, but I’ll stay through the night.”

Diehl nodded. “Feel free to use any spare room in the house if you need a rest.”

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