Page 90 of Love Me Again

I nod, looking at it. “I found it on the floor in the car park. Shayla had this wrapped around her.”

“Fuck.” Sam curses, placing his hands on his head as he paces back and forth. “We need to call the police, Cole. Something has happened to them. Shayla wouldn’t take off without a word, bro.” I feel my heart fill with trepidation at his words. He’s right. She would never disappear like this.

“Cole?” I whirl around when I hear Aimee behind me. She takes one look at Sam and me, and her blue eyes fill with concern. “What’s going on? Any news?”

“Shayla and Alaia have disappeared,” Sam states, pacing back and forth. “Something’s happened to them. I fucking know it!” He shouts angrily, and I bite my lip hard, staring down at my daughters' blanket. Oh God, please, please let them be safe. If anything happens to them, I won’t survive.

“Oh, my God.” Aimee gasps, looking around. “Don’t say that. They’re fine. They’re around here. They have to be!” She shrieks. I stood immobile as all hell ensued around me. Jo and Aimee cry, holding each other. The worst one of them all was her mother. When she found out her daughter and grandchild are missing, she collapsed into Sam's arms. I sink to the floor, clutching my wife’s shoe and my daughter's blanket to my chest. I couldn’t breathe. I felt like my lungs were collapsing.

“Cole.” I lift my eyes and see my mother’s worried gaze. She takes my tear-stained face into her small hands and brushes the endless tears that fall from my eyes. “Somethings not right. Where are they?” I whisper. “Where are they, Mum?!” I sob, tightening my hold on the shoe and blanket I kept clutched against me. My head falls against her chest, and she holds me while I cry helplessly.

“We’re going to find them, darling.” She assures me, stroking my head. “They’re both fine. You’ll see.”

“I should have gone with them,” I say, sitting up and looking down at the blanket. I bring it to my nose and inhale deeply. It smells like Alaia, and I sob when my insides ache. “I shouldn’t have left them alone. I should have gone with them.” I whisper wretchedly.

“Sweetheart, you weren’t to know this would happen.” My mother states, rubbing my back comfortingly, but I shake my head.

“I’m her husband! I’m supposed to protect them!” I shout hotly. “I couldn’t protect them. It’s all my fault.”

“What do you mean it’s been erased?!” I look back when I hear Josh shouting. “A mother and her baby are missing, and you’re telling me the footage has been erased!” He growls, grabbing the manager by the collar of his suit. “What kind of an establishment are you fucking running here?!” I hand the blanket and shoe to my mother before I get up and walk over to where Josh was with the manager of the venue.

“Where’s my wife.” I hiss furiously. Josh lets him go when he sees me striding toward him. “WHERE ARE THEY?!” I roar, grabbing him by the collar of his jacket and bringing his face close to mine, glaring menacingly at him.

“Look, I told your friend already. I don’t know about any woman and her baby!” He shouts, trying to push me off him, but I clench my jaw tight and glare at him hard.

“You or someone on these premises have taken them! That’s why you deleted the fucking footage! I’m not leaving until I find my wife and daughter, you hear me?! I want every square inch of this place searched until you FIND THEM!” I scream at him and push him so hard he falls back on the floor. “Anything happens to my family. I will rain all of hell on you, do you hear me?!”

“Cole, come on.” I hear Josh behind me. He pulls my arm as I continue to glare at the manager. My whole body was shaking. “If they’re here, we’ll find them.”

“Call the police. I want every inch of this place searched. I want no stone left unturned. Do you understand me?” I utter, and Josh nods and watches me walk away toward the marquee. Everyone had already started to leave, and it was almost empty. I see Shayla’s bag sitting on the table we were seated at. I pick it up and open it. Her makeup, her phone, her keys to the house, it was all here. She’s not gone anywhere on her own free will—they’ve been taken. Somebody has abducted them. I press my hand to my mouth and close my eyes. Who the fuck would take them and why? It’s been two hours, and my mind’s reeling. What if I never see them again. What if something happens to them. With a growl, I kick the table over and watch everything fall and smash on the floor.

“Cole, the police are here.” I turn and look at Josh; he gestures for me to follow him, and I do. There were four police cars and two vans. This all feels like a terrible nightmare I'm trapped in and can’t seem to wake up from.

“Mr Hoult, I’m Detective Chief inspector Scott. Can we ask you a couple of questions?” I nod silently. “Before we launch an investigation, we usually wait twenty-four hours before filing a missing person's report. Would your wife have any reason to take your daughter and want to disappear?”

I frown and shake my head. “No. She hasn’t left me. They’ve been taken! She went to the bathroom to change our daughter, and they never came back. I found one of her shoes and my daughters' blanket on the floor.” I explain, raking my fingers through my hair in frustration.

Detective Scott nods and takes notes. “Why would your wife and daughter be taken? Do you have anyone that you can think of that would wish you or your family any harm? Has there been anything suspicious following up to the abduction of your wife and child? A note? Phone calls? Anyone following you?” I shake my head and shrug, rubbing my temples, trying to think of something, but it all came up blank.

“No, there’s nothing. Everything was normal as it always is. There was nothing out of the ordinary, and I don’t have anyone that would want to hurt them. Not that I know of anyway.” I explain with a sigh. “Shayla wouldn’t leave without a word; she wouldn’t. Someone’s taken them by force. I know it. The footage of the moment she disappeared is also gone. Someone in there knows something, go and do your job and find them!” I mutter angrily, and Detective Scott nods.

“Mr Hoult, I understand you’re worried, and we will do everything in our power to find your wife and daughter. However, cases like these are more common than you think. It wouldn’t be the first time a wife up and leaves without a word. We must follow procedure and consider all aspects before we can say for certain that they have been abducted.” He explains, watching me as I pace back and forth. “My team is searching inside and the perimeter of the establishment. If they’re here, we will find them.” He assures me, and I shake my head. “I know it's difficult, but I need you to stay calm and by your phone in case she or anyone else contacts you. If it is an abduction, it’s usually for ransom, and they will be in contact with you.”

My heart hurt, just thinking about them hauled up someplace scared or hurt made my stomach clench painfully. “Find them, please find my wife and baby. I’ll pay whatever they want. I’ll give them everything I have—just find them, please.” I cry, and Detective Scott nods and squeezes my shoulder.

“I know this is not what you want to hear, but I have to ask, could your wife have been involved with another man? Could she have left with a lover?”

I scowl at him and shake my head. “My God, no! Shayla would never do that. We love each other fiercely. She would never cheat on me, and I would never cheat on her. I’m telling you she hasn’t left me. She’s been taken.” I insist and look at Josh, who was scowling at the detective also. “You don’t think Blake would...”

Josh looks at me, and his frown deepens. “Nah, why would Blake kidnap Shayla and Alaia? Not for the money, the guy’s loaded.” Josh states warily.

“What if it’s not for the money, Josh. They were close while Shayla and I were broken up after I lost my memory. What if he’s pissed off about us getting back together, and he’s taken them out of spite?” I clarify, and Josh blinks slowly. I can see the wheels in his head-turning.

“Cole, he seemed to care about her genuinely. I don’t think he would do anything to hurt her.”

“Exactly! Maybe he cares a little too much! He’s definitely got the motive and the resources to pull something like this off!” I shout hotly. “I’m going to kill him,” I growl, pacing furiously.

“Mr Hoult, please calm down. Who is this Blake, and what is his association with your wife?” Detective Scott questions, looking between Josh and me inquiringly.

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