âIâm aware,â Nicole responded, her gaze fixed on Callie.
âWhere are you? What about Callie?â Ethel asked.
The apprehended driver had confessed that his actions were driven by unrestrained desire.
âSheâs here with me,â Nicole replied.
Ethel, still unaware of the full situation, suggested, âKeep her close for now.
Try to get her talking and see if she knows where her father is.
â
âI will,â Nicole replied.
She ended the call abruptly, unable to divulge further details due to Callieâs presence.
âCallie, when did you realize who I was?â
Callieâs eyes widened as she studied Nicoleâs face.
âAfter the phone call.
I care about you deeply.
How could I not recognize you?â
Callieâs innocent demeanor radiated genuine affection for Nicole.
Nicole took a deep breath, her heart racing.
âSo, you informed your father, didnât you?â
âRegrettably, yes,â Callie admitted, her face etched with remorse.
âIâm sorry.
Do what you wish with me, but please spare my father.
Losing him would devastate our family.
My grandparents and I would be left vulnerableâ¦â
Callieâs voice trailed off, sincerity evident in her words.
Her fragile health, combined with her grandparentsâ inability to care for themselves, left her family susceptible to exploitation.
Thankfully, Brett had committed himself to providing Callie with the best possible life, ensuring her well-being and managing her illness.
Their lives had steadily improved before the police arrived.
Learning of the policeâs hunting down, Brett reluctantly revealed that he was wanted by the authorities.
Brett remained silent about the details, but Callie understood the critical importance of keeping his location secret.
As long as he stayed hidden, he could continue to care for them.
âs BunnyBookery Nicole paused thoughtfully before speaking.
âDo you know why weâre searching for your father?â
Callie shook her head.
âYour father was the last person my father spoke to before he died.
I need to find your father for closure.
â
Callieâs eyes widened in shock, her voice trembling slightly.
âHow does this involve my father?â
âI wish it didnât,â Nicole replied, a trace of bitterness in her tone.
âBut the evidence directly implicates him.
My father didnât commit suicide.
He was murdered.
â
Callieâs jaw dropped in astonishment.
The thought of her father being implicated in a murder, and not just any murder but that of Wesson, the man who had shown so much kindness to their family, was almost unbearable.
âHow could this be?â Callie murmured.
âMy father⦠Heâs not capable of such a thing.
Heâs a good man, a truly good man⦠This must be a mistake.
â
Callie turned to Nicole, her hands trembling as they clutched Nicoleâs arms.
âYou know my father.
You know heâs compassionate and gentle.
How could he have committed such a crime? Do you truly believe he murdered your father?â
Nicole winced at Callieâs tight grasp, but she steadied Callieâs shaking form.
âI wish it were otherwise.
But only your father holds the truth.
Perhaps he was coerced or manipulated.
Regardless, heâs the key to unraveling this mystery.
â
âCallie, I meed closure regarding my fatherâs mysterious death,â