discontinue her search. With those thoughts, she now leaned toward Liam being right about Astor, after all. Despite Astor’s response when she’d approached him, he’d known exactly who she was, and he was the reason behind Zoey’s disappearance. He’d gotten revenge for his brother’s death.
An eye for an eye.
A death for a death.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
1:47 p.m.
Denver, Colorado
Callie sat at the counter eating Goldfish crackers and drinking strawberry almond milk, thanks to the local grocery delivery service. Alan imbibed black coffee. A knock came at the front door. Callie’s eyes widened. He suspected she hoped it was her mother who, for some reason, had knocked on the front door instead of waltzing in, filling the room with love and joy.
He glanced through the peephole. Detective Beverly Mansfield again. Thirty-something. Small but fierce. Eyes that held little warmth.
Fear and hope jumped around in his chest. He glanced over at Callie, whose eyes remained riveted on the door. He hated that she would soon be disappointed, and he wished she didn’t have to be here to see the detective or hear her accusing words. He’d have to remedy that.
He opened the door and leaned against it, blocking Callie’s view as much as possible. “Detective.”
Alan didn’t exactly want to invite the woman into his home. Was he required to show manners? She seemed to lean strongly toward suspecting him in Zoey’s disappearance. However, the detective and her search could bring Zoey back to him. It was a double-edged sword.
“Please tell me you’ve found her.” Despair echoed in every word.
By the look in her eyes, good news wasn’t the reason the detective had come.
“I’m sorry. Not yet. You’ll certainly be the first to know when we do.” Her response sounded slightly threatening.
Or maybe he was paranoid.
“Would you mind if I came inside so we can talk in private?”
He glanced beyond her. As expected, a few reporters had gathered at the curb. He had no choice, really. Alan opened the door and let her step inside. “Let me situate Callie in her room with some toys. I don’t—”
“Understood.” Detective Mansfield’s chin bounced up and down.
Hands in her pockets, she started strolling the room. Taking in the bookshelves. Looking for clues. Evidence. Alan should be glad Mansfield took her job seriously and would leave no stone unturned, as the saying went. He simply feared she would find some reason to arrest him. Innocent men had been sentenced to death before. He feared not for his own life but for Zoey’s and Callie’s lives. Zoey would want him focusing on Callie. He wished he weren’t so torn up inside so he could function better through this ordeal, for his daughter’s sake.
“Come on, sweetie. Let’s move the Goldfish and milk into your room. I’ll set them up on your table. You can play with your dollhouse while you eat.”
She scrunched her face. “But you said no eating in my room.”
“I know what I said. I also said unless it’s a special time.”
“Is this a special time?”
“It is. I need to speak with Detective Mansfield.”
Callie’s face scrunched again, only this time painfully. “Is she here to talk about Mommy?”
Alan shot the detective a look. He had wanted to spare Callie the pain. He’d hoped that she would keep believing his lies that her mother was visiting a friend. Still, he wasn’t about to admit the truth to his little girl. He would fiercely protect her to the end. “It’s grown-up talk, Callie. Nothing for you to worry about.”
Alan grabbed the snacks, but Callie rushed over to the detective and hugged her legs.
Mansfield angled her head, then gave Alan a strange look. He thought he’d explained that Callie was on the other end of the spectrum. Overly friendly with strangers. She wanted to hug them all and bring them into her world of joy. Alan would do whatever it took to keep her world from collapsing.
“Callie, please come with me.” He offered his hand.
“Listen to your father. Go with your dad.” Detective Mansfield appeared so uncomfortable that Alan wanted to let her “suffer” a bit longer.
He inwardly chuckled, but it was a sick sound to his heart.
“Callie, please.”
She lifted her face. “Do you know where my mommy is?”
Alan’s broken heart could have shattered into a million more pieces right then. He set the snacks on a side table and crouched to eye level. Alan pulled Callie toward him. “Mommy’s visiting a friend, Callie. I told you.”
She stuck her lips out in a huge pout and hung her head. Alan gathered her into