The police officer Blake had been talking to frowned at her before turning to the incoming drama. “Excuse me, ma’am, you can’t come here, this is an active scene. Who are you?”
Chris’s father raised his chin. “We are the Carmichaels, and your police chief personally called us when he heard the news of our granddaughter going missing. We have every right to be here.” He pointed at Blake, though he didn’t bother to look at her. “That, however, should be behind bars. How dare she let some lower class man near our granddaughter. That is how she was kidnapped. Have you arrested the lowlife? That one. The one with the beard and all the tattoos. It must have been him. They’re all alike, you know.”
Blake took one step forward to smack the look off the man’s face, but Graham gripped her wrist, holding her near him. She let out a breath, knowing he was probably saving her from jail time. Beating up the Carmichaels in front of witnesses, police officers at that, probably wasn’t the smartest move at the moment, but it was the only thing she could think of when she already felt so freaking hopeless and helpless.
“Why don’t you come over here with Officer Broderick,” the officer that had been speaking to Blake said, blocking her view of the Carmichaels. He motioned to another man in blue and nodded. “We’ll get all the information we can before we move on.”
“She was the one who did this!” Mrs. Carmichael spat. “She isn’t fit to be a mother. We want our granddaughter back.”
Officer Broderick led the Carmichaels to the other side of the site, leaving Blake with the Gallaghers surrounding her.
“I’m Officer Lansing, by the way,” the officer said softly. “I know you were a little stunned when I introduced myself earlier. I need you to tell me everything that happened.” He looked around at the Gallaghers and frowned, his gaze piercing. “I’m going to need to speak to you privately.”
“We’re her family,” Graham said as he squeezed her shoulder. “So if you’re separating us because you think we’re the ones that did this, you should know that little girl means more to us than anything. And her so-called grandparents over there just filed for custody, though they’ve never even met her. If you’re going to question anyone, question them.”
Officer Lansing narrowed his eyes. “Let’s get this all out in the open, shall we? Our goal is to find Rowan, Ms. Brennen. I need all the information I can get in order to protect her.”
Blake nodded and told him everything she could remember about how she’d ended up in this position. Without parts of the past, he wouldn’t be able to understand why the Carmichaels had been trying to gain custody in the first place. She wasn’t sure what to think regarding who had taken her daughter, but the thought of anyone touching one precious hair on her baby’s head made her want to scream and lash out.
“They have more than one house,” Blake blurted after over an hour of speaking to the officers and detectives that had shown up.
“Excuse me?” Lansing asked. “What do you mean by that?”
Blake ran a hand over her face, her body exhausted. She pulled away from Graham when he reached for her. She couldn’t think when he was around, and because she’d opened herself, she’d risked her daughter’s life. She didn’t blame Graham for what had happened, she blamed herself.
So she wouldn’t let anyone in. Not again. As soon as she got her baby back, things were going to change. They had to if she was going to find any form of peace.
Knowing she was being watched, she answered the officer. “They have more than one estate. The Carmichaels. And I think they have a ski cottage in Vail, as well. At least, that’s what I remember from all those years ago. I don’t know why they took her, other than to hurt me, but I know they took her.” Her hands fisted, and her heart beat rapidly. “There’s that construction guy who you all say is missing too, and you’re out looking for him as well in connection to this. I don’t know how it all works or what happens next, but I need you to check all their houses.”
“We’re doing all we can to find your daughter, Ms. Brennen.”
“Then try harder!” she screamed then put her hands over her mouth, shaking her head. “I’m sorry,” she muttered. “So sorry. I can’t…” She took a deep breath. “Can I go home now? In case Rowan calls there? Do you need me anymore?”
The officer gave her a pitying look. “Yes, you can go to your home. We’ll have an officer there with you, as well.”
She nodded, her body numb once more. As she started to move to where she’d parked, Graham slid his hand over hers.
“Let me drive you.”