The bottle of water in his hand shook as he poured, splashing liquid outside the cup, as his hand was far from steady. He set the bottle down and carried the cup over to where Autumn sat on the couch across from two detectives from the NYPD. There was a forensics team combing over the entire suite from top to bottom in search of any evidence that would lead to a suspect.
But Nick knew there was no need to search for the suspect’s identity. It was obvious it was Summer, and the cops were just going to have to believe it.
Sitting next to Autumn, he wrapped her hands around the cup. “Drink some,” he murmured.
She stared blindly into the water and could only think of Lily. Where was her daughter? Was she crying or scared? What was Summer doing to her? She shook her head. “I don’t want it.” But the look on Nick’s face had her taking a tiny sip.
He slid an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close. It had taken nearly an hour for her to stop shaking, and she still felt and looked as though she would fall apart. Nick wasn’t doing too well himself, but he knew he needed to hold it together for both of them. Since they’d found Lily’s empty crib almost three hours earlier, the police had arrived, Derek had been taken to the hospital, and the investigation had begun.
Brian, Howie, and AJ had all stopped by the suite, trying to help, but Nick had sent them all back to their rooms. As much as he appreciated their concern, he knew it would be hard for him to keep his cool when just having them around would provide an excuse for him to break down, too. Nope, he was going to be strong enough for both himself and Autumn.
But he was scared to death of what could be happening to Lily while he sat uselessly on the couch.
“Mr. and Mrs. Carter, I can assure you that everything is being done to find out the whereabouts of your daughter and the kidnapper,” one of the detectives told them now.
Autumn shook her head, not bothering to correct what he called her. “I’ve told you so many times. My twin took Lily. She’s been threatening us for weeks, and she must have found the perfect opportunity to strike.”
“Mrs. Carter, we know that’s what you believe, and we’re inclined to believe you, too. The problem is, we don’t have any proof of the threats that you’re telling us about,” the other detective explained calmly. “Until we do, we can’t take any steps to look for Summer Evans.”
Autumn wanted to kick herself. She should’ve kept every single threat Summer had ever sent her, but she hadn’t. She’d tossed out all of them. “I’m sorry. I wish I had kept them. I just panicked and got rid of them every time one would come.”
“If it really was your twin, we’ll find out soon enough through other means.” The female cop, who’d identified herself as Lucy Bates, reached out to pat Autumn’s hand. “You just need to stay calm and try to remember anything else that could possibly help us find your daughter.”
Her partner, a Detective Black, answered his cell when it rang, his eyes cool and steady as he jotted information down. When he hung up, his smile was grim. “We may have proof that it was your sister that took your daughter.”
Nick’s heart leapt to his throat. “What is it?”
“The babysitter you hired, Kristy Sampson, was questioned. She claimed that Autumn had returned to the suite, paid her, and told her that she was going to take Lily back to the party that you were attending when your daughter was kidnapped.” Black glanced at his notes again. “She said that she left Lily with you and the bodyguard. The woman described matches your exact description. Except for the clothing.”
“That’s because Kristy didn’t know what Autumn was wearing to the party. I bet she would’ve noticed if she’d been here when we left and had seen the change in outfits,” Nick pointed out.
Black nodded. “That may be, but we need a statement from your bodyguard once he wakes up. If that corroborates with Miss Sampson’s description, then we can put out an APB for Summer Evans. I know it’s difficult to wait and wonder,” he said more gently, “but that’s really all we can do at this point.”
“Maybe it would help if we knew why your twin would do such a thing. There was a big press whirlwind around the two of you earlier this year, right?” Bates asked, taking out her own notepad.
Autumn nodded. “Yes. I guess it all sort of leads back to that. She wanted to see me pay for something that I had no control over, and, when it backfired, she resorted to threatening me.”
“Her plan backfired because of your statements to the press or was it because of your wedding?”
Nick soothingly rubbed Autumn’s stiff back as he answered. “Our wedding took away from all the hype that she created over the scandalous news she thought she could get away with making up. Plus, Autumn is known in the press as being a good actress and good person overall, so her story cancelled out Summer’s.” He paused and looked down at Autumn. “I have evidence of her threats.”
“What?” Autumn gaped at him. “How? Why didn’t you say so before?”
“Because I just remembered. The message that I saw, the last one, she recorded it on a DVD and sent it to us,” Nick explained to the detectives. “After that argument we had, Autumn, I saw it sitting on top of the DVD player later on and put it away in a drawer in my study. I guess I forgot about it until now.”
Autumn clutched at his hand as she faced the detectives, her eyes full of hope. “If we can get you that DVD, you can use it as evidence, can’t you? You won’t even have to wait for Derek to regain consciousness before you start the search for her.”
“Mrs. Carter, it’s not that simple. Besides, it may take a while for us to get the DVD from your home, which is three thousand miles away,” Black reminded her. “We’ll try our best, though. If we got in touch with the LAPD, would you mind allowing them access to your home in order to retrieve the DVD in question?” he asked Nick.
“Whatever it takes, I don’t care,” he replied fervently. “I want Summer found, so that we can bring Lily home safe and sound.”
Both detectives stood. “We’ll get on that, then. I don’t think we’ll have to advise you not to leave town.” Bates placed a reassuring hand on Autumn’s shoulder. “We’ll bring your daughter home to you, no matter what it takes.”
***
Twenty minutes after the detectives and the forensics team had left, the officer stationed outside the suite stepped inside.
“There’s an Elizabeth Barnes outside. She says she’d like to speak with you.”
Autumn’s face was buried in her hands, so Nick gestured a go-ahead. “Let her in. She’s Autumn’s agent.”
The officer disappeared out the door, and, seconds later, Liz burst into the room, still clad in pajamas. “Oh, my goodness! I just heard about Lily.” She hugged Autumn. “I just can’t believe this! Our poor Lily. God knows what that bitch is putting her through.”
Autumn felt the pressure building in her chest again and tried to stave off the tears. “I know, but the police are almost sure that it’s Summer that did it. They have to find her soon. Please, God.”
“They’ll find her, and, when they do, we’ll make sure she gets exactly what she deserves,” Liz said firmly. “In the meantime, tell me how I can help you.”
Nick left them on the couch and walked over to the wide bank of windows that looked out over the city. Somewhere, out there, Lily was being held captive in Summer’s lethal claws. At almost two years old, he knew she wouldn’t understand what was happening to her, except that Mama and Daddy weren’t there to take care of her. Would Summer find any sort of compassion in her heart to soothe her when Lily cried? What about feeding her? What about anything that Lily needed, Nick thought furiously. None of this mess should’ve ever touched Lily, and, now, she would pay for it with a toddler’s fear.
His hands fisted, and he could well imagine just plowing them into a wall out of anger, frustration, and simple fear. Better yet, he thought. Summer Evans would be better off praying that the cops got her before he did because he’d make her regret the day she was born.
“Nick.”
At the sound of his name, he turned to find Brian standing behind him with a member of their management team. “Yeah?”
Jared, the assistant manager, looked tense. “Listen, I’m really sorry about your kid, but the news just leaked to the press about what’s going on. There’s at least fifty reporters already crammed out on the sidewalk downstairs. They’re dying to know what’s going on.”
“So what?” He didn’t care about the press, Nick thought viciously. He cared about Lily. That was it.
Brian placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. “Nick, maybe if we tell them what’s going on, about Summer, they can get her picture out all over the place. Somebody might identify her, and this’ll all be over soon.”
“Additionally, the hotel management is pretty frantic about their own reputation. The owner’s flying out right now to talk to you and Autumn personally.” Jared’s face was grim. “One of the managers downstairs said something about a security tape.”
“What?” Nick pounced on the information. “What security tape?”
“Hotels always have security cameras, Nick. They’re in every hallway, in the lobby, sometimes in elevators. The manager is insisting on giving you the security tapes, whatever you need to help you.”
Brian bit his lip nervously. “Look, man, you can’t hole yourself up in this suite and expect to find Lily. I’m not saying that we should run out and search every alley or whatever, but let’s take advantage of what we have.” He glanced over his shoulder to where Autumn had begun to quietly weep into Liz’s shoulder. “It’s awful seeing her like that.”
“I know.” His own heart hurt, too. “I’ll call the detectives. They probably just didn’t think of the security tapes. Forget the media, right now. Neither of us is up to dealing with them yet.”
“Okay. I’ll let the hotel management know that they’ll have to get everything out to turn over to the cops.” Jared patted Nick’s back. “They’ll find her Nick. Someone’s bound to recognize Lily.”
Nick waited until Jared was gone before he turned away to stare blindly out the window. He scrubbed his hands over his face. It was nearly five in the morning, and he felt as though he’d been up for days. “God, I’m scared.”
Brian moved to stand next to him. “I know. I think we all are, but we’re all here for you and Autumn. The police will find Lily, Nick.”
“Yeah. I’m not going to give them a choice,” he replied determinedly and slid his cell phone out of his pocket. Before he could dial the number, the phone beeped in his hand. “Hello?”
“Mr. Carter, this is Detective Black.”
“Yeah, hi. Look, I was just about to call you.”
“We have confirmation that it was Summer Evans who kidnapped your stepdaughter.”
His heart was pounding in his ears. “How?”
“Derek Findley, the bodyguard, regained consciousness right before we got to the hospital. We talked to him, and he confirmed it. He didn’t notice the clothing was different until after Summer walked in to pick Lily up. When he rushed in, he felt a prick on his arm. Apparently, she tranq’d him.” Black paused. “His blood reports did show traces of a substance often used as a tranquilizer. Summer Evans came prepared, Mr. Carter. She was determined to follow through completely on her plan.”
Nick’s head spun at the information. Then, he remembered the security tapes. “Listen, hotel management is offering us their security tapes. Maybe we can find out exactly what she looked like. How she got in,” he added. “Did she knock on the door or did she have a key?”
“Key, according to Sampson.” Black was silent for a moment. “My partner and I will head back to the hotel. Would you and your wife want to join us to view the security footage?”
Nick looked over his shoulder at Autumn. “Yeah, we’ll meet you in the security room. Oh, there’re reporters blocking the main entrance. You should probably come up through the back,” he added.
“Right. Thanks.”
He hung up and walked over to kneel in front of Autumn, who was no longer crying. “Hey. Derek woke up and said it was definitely Autumn who showed up here. She got him with a tranquilizer injection or something.”
“Oh my god.” Her hand flew to her mouth. “He’s going to be okay, right?”
“Probably.” Nick took her hand in his. “We’re going to go downstairs and review the security tapes the hotel has with the police. I can go by myself if you don’t think you can,” he added softly.
Autumn sat up straight. “You don’t think I’m strong enough?”
“Baby, I think you’re pretty damn strong, but even I’m drained with all of this happening. What I’m saying is that I understand if you’re not up to doing it.”
“I can do it. I can seriously do it, Nick,” she added, seeing the skeptical look on his face.
He nodded. “Okay.” He stood and held out a hand. “Let’s go on down.”
“I, uh, I’ll stay here until you get back,” Liz offered. “However long you need me here,” she told Autumn.
Autumn smiled. “Thanks, Lizzie. I could use a friend.”
At her words, Nick’s gaze shifted to Brian, and the understanding in his eyes. “Can you call the guys up here? It’d be nice if we could have everyone together.”
“Sure.” Brian smiled reassuringly. “I hope you find something on those tapes.”
“Yeah, me, too.”
***
How, Nick wondered, did life screw you over so fast in such a short amount of time? Four hours ago, he’d confessed his feelings to Autumn only to have her ignore them seconds before they’d discovered that Lily had been kidnapped. Since then, he’d seen more cops in one room than he’d ever seen in his whole life, it felt like. Not to mention the reporters that were clamoring to get the scoop on what was going on.
“What do they know out there?” he quietly asked Jared as they waited outside the security office for Detectives Bates and Black.
Jared shrugged. “Not much. Just that Lily was kidnapped from under the noses of just about everyone.” He paused for a moment. “You and Autumn are going to have to make some sort of statement at some point, you know.”
“Listen, Jared,” he began but was cut off by another voice.
“That would be a very smart idea, Mr. Carter.” Bates nodded at him when he just stared at her incredulously.
“Hell no.”
Autumn squeezed his hand. “Let’s hear them out, Nick. Maybe we’re too freaked out to understand what they mean.”
When Nick reluctantly nodded, Bates spoke directly to Autumn. “Your sister hates you because of all the attention that you have received in the past several months. If you appear on news reports all over the country, wouldn’t it follow that she might be so incensed that she would make a mistake? Maybe she’ll call you or do something rash that would allow us to find her.”
“And maybe she’ll take it out on Lily,” Nick suggested angrily.
“Maybe. But that’s highly unlikely. She’d want you, Mrs. Carter, to know that she was angry. It’s probably the reasoning behind all the threats she sent you, too,” Black explained. “She takes pleasure in causing you pain.”
Autumn was quiet for long moments. “You’re right. I guess I just wasn’t thinking about all the reasons why she’s been doing all these terrible things. Nick.” She met his eyes. “We’ll have to give some sort statement or press conference or something. Not yet,” she added. “I don’t have it in me to do that, yet. But soon.”
He sighed, resigned. “Fine. Now, can we go look at those tapes?”
“Of course.”
The head of hotel security escorted them into the room full of cameras and gestured for them to sit near the largest screen.
“I’ve already pulled the tapes from the lobby, the elevators, and your floor,” he explained as he popped one of the tapes into a machine. “This has been rewound back to the time that you left the hotel at about a quarter to ten last night.”
“Thanks,” Nick muttered and leaned forward in his chair when the screen lit up with the video.
Sure enough, there he was, his hand in Autumn’s, as they strode across the lobby and out onto the street. There were several people milling about in the lobby, and he examined every single one, wondering if one of them was Summer, waiting to pounce. After a few minutes, he knew that she wasn’t there.
Detective Black frowned. “I don’t think we need to observe every minute of this. We’ll know when Summer walks in because she’ll make an entrance. If she’s dressed as Autumn Evans, she’ll be playing the role.” He gestured to the security head to fast forward a little.
Forwarding through an hour and a half of footage, he stopped when Nick yelped. “There she is. Damn it, damn it. She looks just like Autumn,” he murmured. “She even walks the same.”
Summer’s hair was the same length as her sister’s, and it was styled casually, exactly the way Autumn usually made her hair. She wore a royal purple top and white slacks, and had, somehow, matched Autumn’s gait when she walked. Nick could feel his blood boil at the sight.
Autumn frowned as she watched her sister’s entrance. How could Nick tell if she walked a certain way? But, she didn’t dwell on it too long as they all watched Summer walk up to the front desk and speak to the clerk on duty for a few moments. With a smile, she accepted a key card and headed for the elevators.
“We’ll need to speak to that young man who was on duty,” Bates ordered and the security man nodded in agreement.
Twenty minutes passed before Summer strolled into the lobby again. This time, she carried a sleeping Lily in her arms. Autumn swallowed the gasp.
“She was sleeping,” Nick murmured to her as his hand gripped hers. “She probably didn’t even know what was happening.”
“I know,” she whispered, but it was still hard to watch it.
“Let’s see the hallway footage.” Black murmured to his partner as she jotted notes onto a pad of paper.
When the next tape began to roll, they all watched Summer step off the elevator, walk right up to the suite door, and open it with the key card. Five minutes later, Kristy left the room, not realizing that she’d just met Summer Evans. A few short minutes later, Summer slipped out of the room, Lily in her arms. On her way back to the elevator, she stopped directly across from the camera and looked up into it. An evil smile spread slowly over her lips, and, with a cocky salute, she got onto the elevator.
Nick slapped the recording off and stood, his breath heaving as emotions stormed through him. “She knew,” he spat out after a few moments. “She knew there were cameras, she knew that we’d watch them. That’s why she did that.” He flung a hand out at the screen. “She didn’t just do this as a random job.”
“No.” Detective Black shook his head, his expression grim. “She must have been canvassing this job for weeks. She had to have known where you would stay on your trip and when you would be in and out.” He turned to the security officer. “We’ll need your security tapes for the last five weeks.”
“No.” Autumn swallowed nervously when several sets of eyes studied her. “We were in Japan five weeks ago. So was Summer. She followed us there.”
“How do you know this?” Bates asked.
“Because she left one of her threatening notes in our hotel room there.” Autumn couldn’t bring herself to meet Nick’s eyes, knowing he would be furious with her. “That’s how I know.”
Author's Chapter Notes:
Ta-da! Here's the next chapter, hot off the presses! I've made a vow to myself that, in November, even with all the papers I have to write for school, I will work only on this story and no others! I know we're all eager to find out what happens to Nick and Autumn, and whether or not Lily comes home safely. So, hopefully, I'll make lots of progress on this story! Anyway, enjoy!
