Page 67 of Inked Craving

I swallowed hard, looking at Paige. “Call the cops.”

“You think it’s that person again?”

“Who the fuck would leave a rose?” I took a step outside even as Paige pulled me back in. I couldn’t see anybody around, but then I spotted it, the note that had blown into the bushes, thanks to a breeze.

Knock, knock.

Who’s there.

Your ending.

Your ending who.

Your ending is just my beginning, but don’t fret, I’ll see you soon.

I cursed under my breath, even as Paige let out a gasp and ran. I followed her, my heart racing as we turned the corner in the hallway towards Emery’s nursery. Paige staggered in front of me, and I barely heard her scream as my heart dropped, and my world ended.

I couldn’t focus, couldn’t breathe.

Because the window was open, and Emery’s crib was empty.

ChapterTwenty

Paige

This couldn’t be happening. Maybe I just couldn’t see her in the shadows or something. I ran into the room, looked down at the empty crib, and screamed. “Emery! Emery!”

The window was open. How could the window be open? I had a security system. I knew it had been armed. How could Emery not be here?”

“Lee?” My voice broke, and I was one moment away from shattering completely.

“I’m calling the cops. I need to go outside and look. Stay here.” Lee’s voice was so steady, I latched onto it, but there was no way I could do what he’d just said.

“I’m not going to fucking stay here. I’m going with you.” I stared into those hazel-gray eyes of his as they darkened, and saw the fear and panic there that matched mine.

“Whoever’s doing this could be out there. Dear God, they took her. They took Emery. Because of me.”

I ignored his words because I couldn’t focus on blame, not then. “We need to find her. Where’s my baby?” My thoughts went in a thousand different directions as I fought to catch my breath.

How had they gotten in? How could we not have heard her? Was there more than one person? Or maybe they had been quick. I didn’t know why I couldn’t focus. Why hadn’t I heard Emery cry out? Why didn’t I hear her at all? Who had taken my child?

“Yes, someone came in and took our kid. Her name’s Emery. Please, just get here.”

He rattled off the address as the person on the other end spoke to him, but I needed to get out of this house. I needed to find her. They couldn’t have gotten far, right? We had just put Emery down. I had seen her on the screen.

“The security camera.” I ran to the kitchen and pulled up the feed, but it was static, like someone had cut the link. I shouted, my knees going weak as I leaned against the counter, and Lee looked at me. “Whoever it is, they knew what the hell they were doing. Oh my God, I can’t breathe.”

“The cops are on their way,” Lee said. “I’m going to look for her. Fuck, Paige.”

“Maybe she’s outside?” I asked, and I ran towards the back door, knowing I wasn’t making the right decisions but couldn’t do anything else.

“I’m using your phone, calling your brother.”

Lee was good at this. He was focused. He was trying to help. And yet, I couldn’t do anything. All I could do was search.

Someone had taken my baby. Someone who knew what they were doing with the security system. My mouth went dry, and my hands shook. We ran outside and searched everywhere, but I couldn’t find her. There was nothing. No baby blanket. No one.

They had taken her. Right out of her nursery.

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