Page 94 of The Kidnapped

“Why not? You love her.”

“I’ll leave you two alone,” the nurse said, closing the door behind her.

“Traitor,” Raleigh whispered. “Olivia, you know I care about Hollis, but she and I have only been doing this for–”

“I know. That doesn’t answer my question, though.”

Raleigh smiled wider and said, “I can’t tell her that this early.”

“Why not?”

“Because it’s too soon. And things are crazy enough already for us.”

“When you feel something, you say something.”

“I know, but–”

“But nothing. Tell my daughter how you feel, Raleigh. You both deserve so much happiness,” Olivia said, sounding a little drowsier than she had a second ago.

Then, Raleigh’s phone rang in the living room.

“I have to get that, but we’ll talk more later, okay?”

“Tell her,” Olivia repeated as Raleigh left the room.

Raleigh rushed to the phone, thinking it was a client or maybe a potential client, but was surprised to find that it was Dylan.

“Hello?” she said.

“Hey. I thought I’d get voicemail.”

“Sorry, I left the phone in the other room. I was with Hollis’s mom.” Raleigh sat on the sofa.

“Can you swing by the station today?” Dylan asked.

“The police station?”

“Yeah, we might have something.”

“Something about Eden?” she asked, her heart racing.

“Raleigh, it’s a lead, but you can’t get your hopes up. It could be nothing.”

“But it’s something new?”

“Yes,” Dylan said.

“I’ll leave right now.”

“I’ll meet you there.”

“Okay,” Raleigh said before she disconnected the call and called Hollis immediately.

“Hey. Everything okay?”

“Your mom is fine, and the nurse is here,” she said quickly, knowing Hollis would be nervous. “Can you leave work? I hate to ask, but I need you.”

“Raleigh, what’s wrong?”

---