Page 60 of Cinderella's Fling with the Off-Limits Billionaire

He caught her face. “Have they heard anything?”

“They’re finger printing,” she whispered. “We’ve been checked, just to exclude us. Obviously our prints are everywhere. A coat of hers is missing, but that’s all. So I don’t know what that means but at least she’s not cold. But he didn’t take her bunny and she can’t sleep without bunny. Oh, Leandro, she’ll be so afraid.”

“Where would he take her? Let’s presume it’s Jay.”

She nodded. “I gave the police his home address.”

“What about our guys?”

She glanced around, nodded. “Them too.”

“Okay, good.”

“Skye,” he stroked her cheek, carefully repeating what the criminal psychologist he’d consulted with on the car trip over had said. “If this is Jay, he wants to hurt you. This isn’t about Harper, but making you pay for moving on. We both knew he wasn’t likely to just disappear.”

“I never expected?—,”

“Nor did I. He’s clearly sick. A lot sicker than we understood. But listen, we can use this to our advantage.”

Her eyes linked to his. “How?” She mouthed, incapable of speech.

“He wants to hurt you. I hate to suggest this, but have you called him?”

“I tried. He didn’t answer.”

“Okay.” He nodded thoughtfully. “Keep trying. I want you to sit over here,” he gestured to the security guys. For the first time, Skye seemed to register that they were busy setting up some equipment. She frowned. “They can trace the call, if you can keep him on the phone long enough.”

“What if he doesn’t answer?”

“He will. Remember, this is about scaring you. About hurting you.”

“What if he hurts her to hurt me?”

“Don’t think about it. Don’t let yourself go there. She’s going to be fine.”

Skye’s eyes were huge, filled with tears, but she nodded. Even now, he could see her strength and courage and it made his chest churn with the strength of his feelings. An older woman came towards her, clutching a mug of tea. Her face was similarly tear stained, her pale hair pulled into a messy bun.

“Come on,” Leandro said, gently, bringing her towards the table. Max was standing there, watching like a hawk, giving commands, asking questions, moving towards the police to check their progress. Leandro was glad he was there, even if just for moral support, and so that Leandro would know nothing had been overlooked.

At the table, Skye began to dial, the phone on speaker. It rang and rang and went to voicemail. She hung up.

One of the detectives spoke next. “Okay. Next time I want you to leave a message. Don’t say we’re all here. Just tell him you got home from work and can’t see Harper. Ask if she’s with him. Make it seem like a casual thing.”

“But it’s not,” Skye practically screeched.

“I know that, honey,” the detective agreed. “But we’re trying to get him to call back.”

“Okay,” Skye squeezed her eyes shut, sucking in a deep breath. Her fingers trembled as she dialled his number again. Her whole body shook.

After six rings, when they were expecting it to go to message bank, Jay answered. “Oh, hey, Skye.”

Her eyes looked panicked. She glanced from Leandro to the detective then down at her phone. Leandro ran his hand over her shoulders, gently, encouragingly, needing to reassure her, somehow. Meanwhile, the machine to her right, attached to a laptop, was flashing with green lights.

“Jay, I just got home from work. I can’t see Harper. Do you – have you got her?”

“Have I got her? Our daughter?”

Skye’s face paled. “Jay, please don’t be like this.”

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