Hold My Hand (Sequel to Saved: Adopted by Brendon Urie)

Chapter 22

The police officer looked down at the information on his notebook.

"So the National Gallery was the plan?"

"Yes."

"Your daughter knew that?"

"Yes. Abby loves art. Bonnie was taking her there for the morning."

"And the Uber account shows the trip?"

Brendon nodded.

"That's the only Uber trip today. I checked it myself."

The officer wrote something down.

"What time did they arrive?"

Brendon pulled out his phone.

"Ten fourteen."

"Does the account show a return trip?"

"No."

"Any other trips?"

"No."

The officer nodded slowly.

"All right. That's useful."

Useful.

Brendon almost laughed. Nothing about this felt useful.

His daughter was missing.

Her nanny was missing.

Neither phone was answering.

And apparently the last thing they had done was exactly what they were supposed to do.

"What happens now?" Brendon asked.

"We'll contact the National Gallery and establish whether they were there."

"They were."

The officer looked at him.

"You don't know that."

Brendon stopped.

The officer wasn't being insensitive. He was being precise.

"No," Brendon admitted. "I don't."

"We have evidence they took an Uber there. That's different from knowing they entered the gallery."

That distinction made Brendon's stomach turn.

The officer continued.

"We'll get CCTV from the surrounding area. We'll speak with staff. We'll find out whether anyone remembers them. We'll establish whether they left together and, if so, in which direction."

Brendon stared at the phone in his hand.

"Her phone should tell you where she is."

"If it's switched on and transmitting, potentially."

"It's ringing."

"That doesn't necessarily mean it's with her."

Brendon looked up sharply.

The officer softened his voice.

"Mr. Urie, right now we don't know what has happened. We need to establish facts before we decide what we're dealing with."

That was probably the most terrifying sentence he'd heard all evening.

Before we decide what we're dealing with.

Because Brendon had no idea what they were dealing with either.

The police moved quickly to the gallery.

They got in touch with the overnight security and told them what was happening and why they needed access tonight.  Brendon wanted to go with but the police said he was better off staying by the bus, by the venue in case Bonnie or Abby came back.  Zack went with the police.