Page 10 of Vanishing Legacy
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THURSDAY, 4:44 P.M.
If Cash didn’t get out of here soon, he just might punch something. He stalked the hospital conference room. Long legs eating up the space like a caged tiger. His daughter was missing. He should be out there searching for his little girl. Not stuck in here. He wanted to run. Or scream. Or…or…
Cash stopped.
His brain wasn’t working right. Why hadn’t he thought to call his contact at the FBI? They could get things moving. He unlocked his phone and scrolled through his contacts.
The door creaked open and Detective Matt Williams strode in. After handing Libby’s surgery off to another doctor, Williams had escorted Cash into the conference room and peppered him with questions until his blood boiled. Weariness etched the man’s features. Dark circles ringed eyes heavy with exhaustion, and a day’s beard growth sprouted from his tired face. “Sorry for the delay, Dr. Thomas.”
“Please tell me you found my daughter.”
Williams took a deep breath. “I’m sorry, but no. Believe me, we’re doing everything we can. Detective Slaton is at the crime scene. She’ll update us when there’s new information. I know you’d rather be out there looking for your daughter, and honestly, I don’t blame you. But right now, the very best thing you can do is stay put in case she calls.”
Cash was tired of pleasantries. He didn’t need coddling. He needed details. Facts. Something besides the barrage of horrific scenarios his imagination conjured up.
“Look, Detective, I’ll do whatever it takes to find my daughter, but you should know I deployed with the SEAL teams as a combat surgeon. I’m not the sit-back kinda guy. I thrive in crisis. It’s my job. You know as well as I do, intel is an incredible resource, so whatever information you have, I can take it.”
“Fair enough.” Williams ran a hand through his disheveled hair and released a long breath. “We found blood in Penny’s car seat and a few drops leading into the wooded area east of the crime scene. Officers started a door-to-door canvass in the surrounding neighborhood, and we’ve called in a trailing dog. We’re mobilizing additional personnel to conduct a grid search of the woods, and we’ll expand our search to the waterways if necessary. If she’s in the area, we’ll find her.”
Words appeared in bold behind his eyes. Blood. Waterways. If she’s in the area.
His stomach churned. How could this be happening? His little girl. The mere thought of a stranger laying hands on Penny tied him in knots. He’d taught her a few self-defense moves, but she was so small. No way she could take down an adult on her own. There had to be more they could do to find her.
Cash had an ace up his sleeve, but if he played it now, he could expose an undercover agent. Not something he wanted on his shoulders. Better to try a different route. “Has anyone contacted the FBI? Aren’t they supposed to get involved in cases like this?”
There was a slight jut of Williams’s chin. “The field office has ERT on standby.”
“The Evidence Response Team? What do they have to do with this?”
“They specialize in cases of missing and abducted children.”
Cash tightened his jaw and tried to force the emotions back down. “Abducted? You…you think she was abducted?”
Williams held up a palm. “We’re not sure that’s what happened. It’s completely possible your daughter ran for help and got lost in the woods.”
“Or?” Cash all but shouted the word.
The trill of a cell phone startled him. He snatched his phone off the conference table.
“It’s me.” Williams waved his phone at Cash and answered it. “Yeah. Okay.” He nodded and gave Cash a half-smile. “Great, we’re leaving now. Be there in fifteen.” He disconnected the call and clapped a hand on Cash’s shoulder.
“You found her?” Cash’s throat tightened.
“Yes. A woman and her son found her. She’s safe in their living room. My partner is with them and says Penny couldn’t be in better hands. Ready to go get your girl?”
He nodded. “I’ve never been more ready in my life.”
Fifteen minutes later, Cash slid to a stop in front of a charming lowcountry home with dark green trim. He flung his door open, hopped out of his truck, and jogged up the steps to the porch. A uniformed officer lifted his chin in a nod of acknowledgment, but Cash didn’t speak. Right now, he was focused on seeing Penny.
Chest heaving, he pounded three hard knocks on the door. It boomed louder than he’d intended, and he hoped the noise didn’t scare Penny. He shifted his weight. The wooden planks groaned under the weight of his steps. He rubbed his hands together. What was taking so long?
After a million minutes, the door creaked open. The woman standing in the doorway wasn’t at all what he’d expected.
Dressed in all black except bare feet, the woman studied him with dark eyes lined with thick lashes. Her inky black hair was pulled into a ponytail that didn’t quite contain the soft tendrils framing her brow. Every feature was razor-sharp yet carried an alluring softness. And she was tiny. Petite in a way that made him feel like a giant looming in her doorway.
His brain halted. Mind blurred. In his haste to see Penny, he hadn’t even considered who might live here and how to ask for his daughter.