Holden's Resurrection (Gemini Group #6) - Riley Edwards Page 0,82

Holden was there with me. United as one as we both shook and trembled.

“Holden,” I gasped.

“You feel that, baby? That’s us. You and me. Always. I love you, always.”

“Always,” I echoed.

26

Two days later, Holden was still riding the high. He felt like he’d traversed a mountain taking the long way around, but now he’d reached the summit and he was looking down, and all he saw was beauty on the horizon.

There was a tap on Holden’s office door but before he could call out, Nix opened the door. The look on his friend’s face cut off the smartass retort about not waiting before he entered.

“What’s up?” Holden asked and stood.

“Jonny and Mr. Purdy are downstairs.”

“Who?”

“Ayla Purdy’s father.”

Ayla was one of the missing girls Cory Saddler had found.

A man who did not work on Sundays. After some poking around, Jonny still hadn’t found any evidence Cory had gone in on his day off on the Sunday in question. Which left the question—what was the man really doing out driving before dawn? But more, why had he lied?

“Is Ayla okay?”

“By the look on her father’s face, I’d say no.”

Holden moved around his desk and followed Nixon out into the hall. They made their way down to the conference room in silence. Earlier, Holden was disappointed Charleigh hadn’t come into the office with him; she had an appointment first thing. So Holden had taken Faith to school. The little girl only agreed after Holden had spent a good amount of time explaining to her that the people who had hurt her and her mom were still in jail. Throughout the conversation, Holden had to check his vocabulary and refrain from calling the Towlers Bitches From Hell. He’d managed, but barely.

He’d also been careful not to call the women aunt or grandma. As far as Holden was concerned, they were dead to Faith. And he’d do everything he could, including taking Faith and Charleigh on the run to keep the Towlers away from his girls.

But when Holden caught sight of Ayla’s father, he was happy Charleigh wasn’t there. The man looked destroyed. There was no shortage of anger rolling off the older man. But it was the sadness that hit Holden in the gut.

“Mr. Purdy. What can we do for you?” Nixon asked.

“There’s no easy way to say this,” Mr. Purdy started. “Ayla’s pregnant.”

Oh, fuck.

The man swallowed and looked at his feet.

“Nix—” McKenna paused in the doorway and started to back out into the hallway. “Excuse me, I didn’t realize you were in a meeting.”

“You know.” There was no missing Jonny’s cold, hard tone.

“Um.” McKenna glanced at her husband and he nodded. “Yes.”

“Is there anything else we should know?”

Technically, McKenna was breaking the law by hacking into Ayla’s phone. Jonny didn’t ask how McKenna found the information she found and she never admitted to illegal activity.

There had been times when the proper warrants had been obtained, but this was not one of those times.

“Elliana’s worried she is, too,” McKenna softly said.

“How did you find out your daughter was pregnant?” Holden inquired.

“Periodically, my wife checks Ayla’s phone. She’s not allowed to have a passcode on it. This morning while Ayla was in the shower, KiKi looked through her phone and saw one of those disappearing messages… you know from that app… I can’t remember the name. Anyway, my wife saw the last message Ayla sent to Elliana telling her she was pregnant. The message had expired before KiKi could show me. But I did read the message from Elliana that said ‘he’s gonna freak’.”

“Did either of them say who “he” is?”

“No,” Mr. Purdy answered and Holden turned to McKenna.

“No.”

Fucking hell.

“Did you confront Ayla?” Nixon entered the questioning.

“No. We thought it was best to talk to the police first.”

“Why is that?” McKenna asked. “I mean, why report her pregnancy to the police?”

“Because there is something wrong. She’s not the same. After that night, something changed in my little girl.” There was no missing the hitch in the father’s voice.

No one said a word. It was obvious he had more to say but needed a moment to compose himself.

“She was…she…something happened to her. And now she’s pregnant.”

“Please, Mr. Purdy, have a seat,” Nix offered.

Christ. Jonny had been right.

“I want you to find the man responsible,” Mr. Purdy demanded as he sat in the chair Nix had offered. The room went still at the older man’s ragged voice, he struggled to keep his emotions in check but lost the battle. His shoulders sagged and he let out a