Saving Hailey: Chapter 24

The phone’s slick in my clammy hands as I tap Vaughn onthe screen, sending the call. It rings, once, twice, the sound echoing like a drumbeat in the quiet room.

“Carter? What’s wrong?” Dad answers, his voice like a balm over my frayed mind.

“Dad, it’s me.”

The silence that follows reverberates through my head until a relieved snort hits my ears. “Hailey. Oh, thank God. Are you okay?” His voice is brimming with pain, urgency, and worry. “Where are you? What happened? Where’s Carter?”

“He’s here. I’m okay. I don’t know where I am exactly,” I admit, gazing out the window to the sprawling, dense forest. I could be anywhere, really. “But I’m safe. I promise. What about you? Are you okay?”

“I’m fine, sweetheart. Don’t you worry about me. It’s so good to hear you. I can’t believe he let you call…” His voice cracks like eggshells and I think he’s close to tears.

“I’m so sorry, Hailey,” he utters. “I’m so sorry I let Alex into our lives. I know he was hurting you. I should have seen it. I should have protected you.”

“It’s not your fault. I… I don’t want to talk about Alex.”

“Of course, I’m sorry. Tell me how you’re doing.”

“I’m tired. I want to come home. I want to see you and I want this nightmare to be over.” I regret the words as soon as they leave my lips.

I’m sure he wants nothing more than to have me home but that won’t happen anytime soon.

“As much as I hate it, you’re safer where you are right now.” He lets out a deep sigh, like he can’t believe he’s forced to say this. “Carter’s very protective of you and better equipped than I am to keep you safe.”

I could argue, I could tell him he’s my dad and it’s his job to keep me safe. That he’s a cop for crying out loud. He’s supposed to protect me… but I keep it in. He sounds so beaten, so resigned.

Admitting a criminal can do a better job at keeping his only daughter out of harm’s way couldn’t have been easy.

“Don’t worry about me,” I say, hoping to ease the weight on his shoulders. “I’m okay… and once I remember where Alex hid the evidence, I can come home.”

“I have to go, sweetheart.”

A puzzled frown creases my forehead as I check the time. We’ve only been speaking for three minutes. He hasn’t heard from me in weeks, hasn’t seen me in months, and now we’re finally on a secure line, he’s too busy, even after everything that’s happened.

“When you find the evidence…” he continues. “Remind Carter about our deal.”

“What deal?” I interject, dreading his goodbye. “You struck a deal with him? He’s a criminal, Dad.”

“I know. Believe me, it was the last thing I wanted to do, but everything hinges on Alex’s findings, sweetheart. They’re important. Remember that I love you, Hailey. So much.”

“I love you, too.”

The call ends, leaving me staring at the phone, replaying everything he said, a peculiar feeling twisting my gut. Something doesn’t quite add up.