Mistakes of our past | Rhekker

Chapter 24- Hope

Jay returned about 20 minutes later with a much smaller police team than last time. Connor helped Ava get out of the tub and dried off before going to see them.
"Connor, good to see you, we were going to send a team around, there was concern for your safety"
"Yeah sorry, my phone was on silent, foolishly, I don't even know how" Connor rambled.
"Your here now" Ava whispered rubbing his back.

"So as you know, Sophia has been missing for nine hours now. Normally we wouldn't out of a missing persons this early, but given Ava's connection to an important police case we deemed it necessary"
Ava let tears sink down her face as Jay continued.
"We've ruled the baby sitter out, she's inconsolable over what happened. The man that took Sophia can me to the door claiming to be an uncle. When Rebecca said she hadn't been told anything about an uncle, to which the man showed her several photos of them together in various locations" Jay said grimly.
"What" Ava chocked, Connor rubbed her back trying to sooth her and help her breathing, that was coming in short gasps.
"Ava is their anyway male figure in your life, sibling, old friend, an ex boyfriend. Anyone who could have had access with Sophia and taken her out"
Ava shook her head weakly, "There's no one, the only living family I have is my dad and he doesn't even know I moved to Chicago."
Connor squeezed Ava's shoulder, he knew things were bad between her and her dad. "Ava moved her five years ago! How could they be so disconnected" Connor thought.

"They only family I have his Claire, and it wasn't her"
"No angry patients this week either, nor any that would have known about Sophia" Ava added thoughtfully.
"We don't know that, remember Claire was being cruel last night, mentioned a rumour about you having a child. The Halsteads know, but other people might" Connor was beginning to wish they'd never gone out in the first place, that he'd had just stayed home with his girls.

"We know she has some food, a spare change of clothes and some toys with her at lest. The kidnapper, uncle, whatever we're calling him asked to take Sophia's over night bag. Which suggests theirs a bond, and that he cares for her"
Ava suddenly frozen, hopped of her bar stool, and went flying into her bedroom. "Ava" Connor called after her, thinking she was going to be sick. At the same speed Ava came running back into the kitchen with her laptop.
"I sewed an air tag into the lining of Sophias backpack" Ava breathed realising they might be able to get her back. Jay ran around the island to look over Ava's shoulder.
"When did you do that?"
"The night you came to get me in South Africa. I wasn't going to leave Sophia there, but I wasn't going to take her to America without some way of finding her"

Ava pulled up the tracker application as it loaded, the device hummed for a as it load, the house was silent, no one wanted to disturb the machine or jinx it.
"Ding"
"We've got a location"
One of the officers took ava's laptop, "we'll get it back to you as soon as we can"
The police team left to go track the device, taking Jay and the laptop with them.
Sharron sat up, taking her jacket from the sofa, "I should get going"
"Thank you for coming over" Ava said hugging her.
"It's no problem sweetheart, I can't imagine what your going through, but you were smart, you thought ahead. And we'll get her back" Sharron said squeezing if her as the pair said their goodbyes.

"Ava I'm so sorry" Connor sobbed as soon as Sharon left.
Ava hushed him wrapping him up in a hug.
"I should have gotten here sooner, I should have walked you into your apartment yesterday" Connor wept into Ava's hair.
Ava pulled him towards her bedroom still holding him tight, crying herself.
They pair lay down on the bed, holding each other tightly for some bit of comfort.
"I said I'd never let you two go again, and I did Avery, I lost our girl" Connor whispered hoarsely.
"No" Ava said sternly, her face and eyes raw red. "This is not your fault, this is solely the fault of whoever took Sophia, and who ever killed your farther"
"Someone's really keen on keeping us apart aren't they" Connor whispered into Ava's hair.
"I won't let them, well be a family again" Ava mummers, feeling Connors warm and safety, she began to doze off. She has been up nearly 30 hours, between her shift, the Gala and looking for Sophia.
"I won't let them" Ava exhaled before falling asleep in Connors arms.