Page 10 of Lost Love Cove 4
Carrie’s tears brimmed, her voice trembling with relief. “I’ve been so worried.”
Trent’s voice came steady but carried the weight of his own concern. “I’ve been worried too. You never told me there had been a murder on the island yesterday.”
“We didn’t really have time to chat,” Carrie said quickly. Her hand tightened around the receiver. “Oh, Trent, is Alisha with you? Her father, Matt, is here with me, and this call is on speaker.”
“Hi, Matt, it is nice to meet you,” Trent said, polite despite the chaos.
“Hi, Trent,” Matt replied, leaning closer to the phone. “It’s nice to meet you, too. I wish it were not under these circumstances. Is Alisha with you? Is she alright?”
Carrie added before Trent could answer, “Is there any word on the kids? I haven’t even called Tessa to let her know about Maggie.”
“Mom,” Trent cut her off gently, and a small laugh came through the line, tired but real. “We found Maggie and Cody. They aresafe. Someone from Sunset Keys recognized Cody and noticed Maggie’s distress signal hand gestures I taught her.”
Carrie let out a sharp breath, the sound half sob, half relief. “Oh, thank goodness.”
Matt felt his own chest loosen, the knot inside him easing for the first time in hours.
Then another voice came through, higher, familiar, warm with worry. “Dad?”
Matt froze, his throat tight. “Alisha.” His voice cracked with emotion.
“Dad, are you all okay there?”
“Hello, sweetheart,” Matt said, relief spreading through him fully now. “We’re all fine here. How about you?”
“I’m not going to lie,” Alisha said bluntly, her voice firm but weary. “It’s been an awful night. But Trent’s team was great, and we managed to watch someone from the island save Cody and Maggie.”
Carrie pressed in. “Are they there with you now?”
“No. They’re still with the person who saved them,” Alisha answered.
“Who saved them?” Carrie asked before Matt could.
“I'm not sure if you have met her yet,” Alisha said.
Matt’s pulse jumped. His skin prickled, his gaze snapping to Carrie’s. Her eyes widened, mirroring his fear. They both knew where this was headed.
Alisha finished, the name striking like a stone in a still pond. “It was Paula Day.”
Carrie sucked in a sharp breath. Matt’s stomach turned. Every suspicion he had carried since yesterday tightened into certainty.
But Alisha’s voice pressed on, not giving them a chance to speak. “Get this. It was a cop who kidnapped Maggie and Cody.”
“A cop?” Andy’s voice came from the door. Ian was beside him and Oscar was being supported by both Andy and Ian. “A cop kidnapped your grandchildren?” He stared at Carrie and Matt in disbelief.
“Who is that?” Alisha and Trent asked in unison.
“Detective Andy Hardy,” Carrie told them. “He stayed behind yesterday after all the police left once the murder investigation was wrapped.”
“Great!” Trent said. “Thank you for being there, Detective Hardy.”
“You’re welcome,” Andy called from his position near the door. “Do you have the cop’s name who kidnapped the kids?”
“Yes,” Alisha answered. “It was Detective Lawrence.”
The words hit like a blow. Matt gripped the edge of the desk, the grain digging into his palm. Carrie covered her mouth, eyes wide, face pale.
Behind them, Andy and Ian gasped. Each one of them had been fooled by that man during the murder investigation.
