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

Chapter 24

The room had become strangely quiet.

Brendon stood behind the detective, staring at the monitor.

The police had suggested he come to the Gallery to view the footage himself, instead of through a phone screen.

So he'd come. Tony had come with him in the police car that had been sent for them.

The footage played again.

Abby and Bonnie leaving the National Gallery.

Walking together.

Stopping near Trafalgar Square.

Bonnie turning away to answer her phone.

Abby remaining where she'd been told to wait.

Then the woman.

Brendon watched her approach his daughter.

He watched Abby speak to her.

Watched the woman take her hand.

Watched Abby walk away.

His stomach twisted.

"Can you stop there?"

The detective paused the footage.

Brendon pointed at the screen.

"That's her."

"We know."

"She took Abby."

"We're treating it as an abduction."

Brendon swallowed.

"Where did she take her?"

"We don't know yet."

He stared at the screen.

The woman looked completely ordinary.

That was somehow worse.

There was nothing about her that screamed danger.

She wasn't dragging Abby.

She wasn't threatening her.

She was simply walking beside her.

Like she belonged there.

"Can you identify her?"

"Not yet."

"Then identify her."

The detective looked at him.

"We're working on it."

Brendon dragged a hand over his face.

He could feel himself shaking.

"How long?"

The detective didn't pretend not to understand the question.

"How long has she had my daughter?"

"We're establishing the timeline."

"How long?"

The detective glanced at the footage.

"Approximately twelve hours from this point."

Brendon closed his eyes.

Twelve hours.

Twelve hours since Abby had disappeared from Bonnie.

Twelve hours since somebody had walked up to his daughter and taken her.

Twelve hours in which nobody knew where she was.

He opened his eyes.

"Is Bonnie okay?"