Page 92 of Watch Me
I pulled her in for another hug. “Go ahead, honey. I’m here if you need me. I love you.”
“Love you too.” She turned to Ethan and wrapped her arms around him. “Thank you.”
He hugged her back. “You don’t need to thank me. I’m just happy you’re okay.” Maddie turned and went to herroom.
“I’m sorry about tonight,” Pablostated.
“Don’t do that,” Ethan said. “Maddie wasn’t your responsibility.”
“No, but I could have at least walked her back while Reagan was working.”
“There’s no way we could have known. Everything worked out. Go get some sleep too.”
“I’m going to kiss my daughter when I get home.”
Ethan clapped him on the shoulder. “Do that. And please, don’t blame yourself.”
Pablo nodded. “All right. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“Good night.” I waved goodbye. Pablo left, and Ethan pulled me in for another hug. “I was so scared.”
“I know, Buttercup, but it was you who helped solve this case.”
“How?”
“The email led us to confirm it was an employee of the school. We were able to get CCTV and cross-reference the car we saw with the employee records.”
“I can’t believe it was an employee. Though, I guess it makes sense since the victims were students.”
“And a woman.”
“Yeah, that’s crazy too.” I heard the shower in the hall bathroom turn on. “Is Maddie really okay?”
Ethan kept his arms around me. “Physically? Yes. Emotionally? It may take her some time. She seemed headstrong through it all, and all that happened was she was taken and tied up.”
“Whatexactlyhappened?” I pulled my head back and looked into his eyes. Ethan told me all he knew. The IT director at the college was involved, but he had plans to help Maddie when he learned of the killer’s plan. “I can’t believe this happened.”
“I know.” He kissed me softly. “It really did all happen because of you.”
My stomach dropped, and a tear slid down my cheek again. “I know.”
“I don’t mean it like that. I mean the killer was caught because of your email tracing idea. If we didn’t have that info, I don’t think we would have caught her. Though, if Jack Clark was really going to save Maddie—which it appears he was—then all of it would have come to a head, and nothing would have happened to Maddison.”
“Well, I’m glad she’s safe.”
“Me too, Buttercup. Go to bed, and I’ll be home soon.”
“Okay. Thank you for saving my daughter.”
“Always.”
We kissed again and then he left. I went to take a quick shower before I crawled into bed with Maddie. I held her tight until she wasasleep.
Iwas exhausted.
I had been awake for almost twenty-four hours, but Shawn and I needed to interview Katrina Carpenter. Before going into the interrogation room, I grabbed a cup ofcoffee.
“How’s Maddison?” Shawn asked and then took a sip of hiscoffee.
