Ocean Eyes - Maddie Poppe and Caleb Hutchinson Series (Book 3)

Chapter 36

Caleb's POV

"Good morning, beautiful," I tell Maddie, finding her making breakfast.

"Morning," she smiles at me.

I give her a kiss, "what are you doing today?"

"I have to go to the studio for a little while, and then I have an interview. And then I have to take Allison to her first therapy session."

"Ah," I say, "busy day."

"Yeah," she sighs, sliding Allison's pancakes onto plate, and then a plate for me, "what are you doing today?"

"Just going to the studio, too," I say, "and doing something that should've been done a little while ago."

Maddie's POV

"Huh?" I set the plates down on the table.

"I'm going to the police," he answers.

"Oh," I raise my eyebrows, "good."

"Yeah. Now that I have the pictures," he nods, "it's proof that it was him."

"Good morning," Allison comes downstairs.

"Morning, baby," we tell her.

"Pancakes!"

"Yup, your favorite," I kiss her head, "Daddy and I have lots to do today, so Aunt Gabby is going to come stay with you."

"Yay!" She giggles.

After my interview, I go to the studio for a few hours. I do a lot of writing, and after recording three new songs, there is an hour until Allison's session. I grab a quick bite to eat, and get Allison a kid's meal. I go into the house, finding Gabby and Allison laughing on the couch.

"Mommy!" Allison squeals, running to me.

"Hi, precious," I hug her.

"I missed you!"

"I missed you!" I tell her, "here."

"Oooo, chicken?" She asks.

"Yup. Go to the kitchen table and eat, okay?"

She takes her food to the kitchen and sits at the table. I go over and sit beside of Gabby.

"Chicken," she chuckles, "she's your kid."

I laugh, "Definitely."

"She has her first session today?" She asks.

"Yeah," I sigh, "I have no idea how that's gonna go. But she needs it."

"Yeah. Poor baby," she pouts, "what about Caroline's case? Have they found anything else?"

I raise my eyebrows, "Uh, Caleb and I did."

"Huh?"

I explain my talk with little Julia, and then the pictures that Caleb got.

"So, yeah," I look at the floor.

"Wow," she says.

I check the time on my phone, "Caleb is probably showing the evidence to the police right now."

Caleb's POV

"It was him. I know it was," I tell the officer, "His niece told my wife that she saw his car."

"But we don't-" he starts.

"Look at this," I grit, showing the picture from Jace's car that I had printed, "that's a piece from her Halloween costume."

He looks at it carefully, "Okay."

I then show a picture I took of Caroline and Allison before they left for the party, "See her costume?"

"Yes," he says, "Okay. I'm going to need to keep these."

"You better go get him, and he better be punished to the max for taking my daughter from me. You better handle him the right way," I say, sternly.

"We-" I don't let him finish.

"And if you don't do it soon enough, I sure as hell will."