Page 79 of Secret Baby for Dr. Billionaire

As I parked the car, I could see the crowd forming by the school's daycare center, and it didn’t take me long to see Chloe’s dark hair by the entrance of the building. Her shoulders shook when she spotted me walking towards her.

“Ben!” she ran, and I hugged her midsection when we found each other. She circled her arms around my neck, sobbing, her limbs weakening, and her body shaking.

“Baby. It’s okay.” I rubbed her back, and we stood like that for a moment in front of the school building. Some classes were still going on, but parents who had children in the daycare center had arrived and took their children away safely.

“Doctor Hayes—”

“How the fuck could something like slide right under your noses?” I interrupted Principal Patel as she marched toward us.

“Ben,” Chloe warned, giving the principal an apologetic smile.

“We’re very sorry, Doctor Hayes. Nothing like this has ever happened before. Our security is excellent. The person must have come in disguised.”

“It’s not good enough. Just pray that nothing happens to her. Otherwise, the school will be held accountable.”

“Ben. It’s not their fault. They couldn’t poss—”

“Ms. Chloe Kennedy?” A voice interrupted us from behind, and we turned our heads.

“I’m Chief Emily Grant from the Miami Police Department, and this is Detective Jackson Reed from the Missing Persons’ Unit.”

Officer Emily Grant looked young and efficient enough for the job. She was the youngest chief of Police in years, and despite the clamor of some about her age and sex, she’d done more in a year of her service than her two predecessors combined.

The detective looked like in his late fifties, and streaks of white hair told me he knew what he was doing.

“We’re going to need to ask you questions in the precinct, but right now, we need to activate an Amber Alert so everyone in the area will be notified of your child’s description,” Officer Grant said. “But we need to do it in the station; otherwise, it could cause alarm to the kids.”

***

“Do you know anyone who might want to harm your daughter, Ms. Kennedy?”

We were in one of the offices in the station with Officer Grant and Detective Reed. Maggie had texted me two minutes ago that she had picked up Billy Anne from school and had informed our mother about our situation.

Now, as I held Chloe’s hand under the table, we answered the authorities’ questions as best we could.

“No, I don’t think so. I just moved here four months ago. I don’t know anyone here, nor have I pissed off anyone.”

“Franklin Hollis,” I pointed out. I reminded myself about that man. Chloe didn’t say anything about Fraklin after what had happened at her penthouse, except that she had decided to cut all ties with him. But I still couldn’t forget the way Chloe was cornered and helpless in her own house when he showed up.

“I don’t think Frankie would go to such extremes over something like that,” she said, shaking her head, a frown forming on her forehead.

“Based on the school cameras, the person’s frame was petite and would most likely be a woman.”

“Or a very lanky man.”

“He doesn’t know where I work. He didn’t even text me after what happened.”

“What happened?” Detective Reeds asked. And Chloe told them what had happened. She didn’t flinch, didn’t squirm as she spoke her truth, and I squeezed her hands to let her know I was proud of her.

“It’s better that we put him down as one of the suspects. You can file a complaint against him about molesting you.” This came from Officer Grant.

“I–I’ll think about it. Right now, I need my daughter found, officer.”

“How about you, Doctor Hayes? Anyone who’d want to hurt you or your family?” The detective nodded his head toward me.

“I have angry patients every day, detective. But I don’t think they’d hurt someone to get to me.”

“An ex, maybe? An angry fling?”

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