Page 46 of The Nanny and the Grump

Amy heaved a deep sigh and turned to me. “We’ll be back shortly. Meanwhile, I think you should get some rest. You look pale. Everything’s going to be all right. I know that for sure.”

I nodded.

Hudson walked on out of the house without saying a word to me. Amy followed suit, trying to match up with his pace.

Hudson

We were finally away from the house. I rolled down the side windows to let the air blow in my face. I could feel Amy’s eyes lingering on me even as she drove.

“Are you going to say what’s going on in your mind?” I blurted, still looking out the window.

“I was under the impression that you would like to go first,” Amy replied.

I shook my head, urging her to go ahead and spill.

Amy said, “You do know you’ve been unfair to Madison, right? None of this is her fault.”

“I know, I know it’s not her fault.”

“Why, then, are you punishing the poor girl? You know she’s hurting as well.”

“I’m just really confused right now. Madison has agreed to return to that psychopath just so he can let June go. As much as I would be more than happy to have June returned to me, I can’t let go of Madison. I’m so scared of losing her. I can’t accept the fact that I would never get to see her again and that she would belong to another. Then the fool also gets to cart away with 10 million of my hard-earned money, like I’m paying him to have taken so much from me. It’s like I’m torn between choosing two people I care deeply about. That’s the toughest choice a man could ever make. But then, I can’t let my little girl die. I could never forgive myself.”

“You will not lose any one of them. We will find a way out of this mess. We should involve the police,” Amy suggested.

“The police?”

“I don’t see why not.”

“He’s holding June hostage, Amy. We can’t afford to piss the dude off or have him triggered. I’m afraid of what he might do to her.”

“Let’s have a talk with them first. That was partly why I agreed to this drive. I believe they can help us set an ambush for him somehow.”

“What if he’s spying on us? You know, just like in the movies.”

“One thing I’m sure of is that this guy isn’t such a smart criminal. He’s definitely a newbie. He wouldn’t think to do that.”

“I just hope you’re right, for all our sakes, Amy.”

“I know I am. We can’t let our fear get the best of us. We’ve got to try. I mean, what’s the guarantee that he wouldn’t try something stupid again even after Madison returns to him? I mean, if he got 10 million too easy, why not go for more?”

“I’ll dig his grave then and ensure he’s buried in it myself.”

“There’ll be no grave-digging because we will do the right thing. We will involve the right authorities.”

“All right, let’s head on there right away.”

“Are you crazy? Not until you’ve had something to eat.” Amy parked the car in front of a restaurant, opened the door on my side, and playfully pushed me out of it.

I forced a dry smile and shut the door behind me. I was indeed hungry but didn’t exactly have an appetite for food. That didn’t matter to Amy. She made me have a full three-course. The food was really tasty, though, so I didn’t complain. I emptied my plate in good time. I paid with my card afterward, and we left the restaurant.

We drove to the station next and lodged a complaint.

“Prepare the cash and the lady. Hand them over to him as requested at the designated meeting point. We’ll be there waiting, and we’ll take it from there afterward. But before then, we’ll try to track his phone when he next calls. I guarantee we won’t let him slip out of our hands.” The officer sounded convincing.

The uneasiness I felt was slowly fading away, and I felt lighter. I needed some form of hope, something to put my faith in. His words were it for me.

“Do you know if he’s working alone or with someone?” the officer asked.

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