Page 105 of Illicit Heir

She spins on Alaina. She points at her, hurling, "Ya would stick up for him, wouldn't ya, ya traitor?"

Alaina's face hardens, but she holds her hands in the air. "Please. We all want to find Lauren."

"Do ya now?"

"Yes, we do. We didn't know she was missing. I can assure ya that Devin is telling the truth."

"How do ya know he's telling the truth?" Kathleen questions.

Alaina lifts her chin, squaring her shoulders. "Because Devin always tells the truth."

Alaina's caught me in many lies before. However, she's very convincing, and I don't know why she's sticking up for me right now, but it's not the first time she's surprised me. Then again, Alaina knows how to play her cards well.

Kathleen surprises me. Her hard exterior breaks and she crumples, sobbing.

Alaina comes around the desk and puts her arm around her.

She shrugs out of it, sniffling. "Ya need to find my daughter. Even Caleb can't find her!"

"Caleb?" I narrow my gaze on Kathleen. A shiver travels over my skin. I ask, "Ya know where he is?"

Kathleen tightens her lips, glaring at me.

"Where is he?" I push.

She seethes, "None of your business."

"Like hell, it's not!"

Alaina scolds, "Enough! Let's focus on Lauren."

Tense silence fills the air.

Alaina breaks it, stating, "Lauren's a smart, capable woman. Let's think about where she could be hiding."

Her mum shrieks, "Hiding? She wouldn't hide from me! Especially in the condition she's in!"

"Condition? What condition?" I question.

Kathleen's expression changes to frantic, then returns to angry. She closes her lips into a tight line, trying to gather her emotions, and looks away.

I glance at Alaina.

She gives me her I don't know expression.

Something tells me that I need to find out what Kathleen is referring to, so I step in front of her. "Tell me what ya meant."

"Nothing. But I want my daughter back!"

"I promise ya, I don't know where she is. However, now that I know she's missing, I will find her."

"How? How will you find her if you don't know where she's at?" she demands.

Alaina interjects once more. "Let's go have some tea and calm down."

"I don't want any tea. I just want my daughter."

"And I'll find her," I vow, walking toward the door.

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