by T. K. Leigh
“What’s going on?”
“It’s Melanie.” He pushed past her, refusing to believe his worst nightmare had come true. “She’s not in her room.” With hurried steps, he searched the bottom floor again, wondering how she could just disappear without anyone hearing anything. It was completely absurd to think that three people needed a house this big. There was too much space, too much distance, too much opportunity for something like this to happen.
“What do you mean?” Olivia asked with a quiver in her voice, her eyes glued to Alexander as he searched every nook and crevice for any sign of his little girl. With each empty room, the ache in his heart and throat grew more pronounced. “She has to be here,” she cried, following him up the stairs.
Methodically, he walked through all the rooms on the top floor again, checking the closets, looking underneath the beds, pulling back the drapes. All he kept thinking was this couldn’t be happening, that she’d jump out and surprise him any second. The seconds turned into minutes, the minutes into almost an hour with still no sign of his little girl.
The truth of the situation washed over him like a storm as he pulled his phone out of his pocket. The sound of toys clattering together caught his attention. He headed down the hallway, hope building in his chest as he turned the corner. Olivia sat in Melanie’s room, dumping out bins full of toys, which she probably hadn’t touched in months, if not years.
Deflated, he went to her. “Olivia,” he said in a calming tone. The nagging voice in his head told him this never would have happened had he come home last night. He didn’t know what this was yet, but he couldn’t ignore his gut telling him Melanie had been taken. The bear in the hallway, the floral centerpiece knocked to the ground, the broken picture frames on the entryway table… All signs of a struggle.
“Olivia,” he called out again as she continued ripping through Melanie’s room. “Please, Olivia. Stop.” His voice was forceful. He hated to see her hurting like this, knowing he should have been here to prevent it. “Please,” he added with a tremble, placing his hands on her arms to stop her from continuing her futile search. This all seemed like a bad dream, like he was watching a movie of someone else’s tormented life.
“She has to be here!” Olivia wailed, pushing against him and sliding down the wall next to the window. She pulled her knees to her chest and buried her head against her legs. There was no way to know precisely how long Melanie had been gone. Each second counted, and Alexander wanted nothing more than to use every resource and skill he possessed to find the person responsible. But he couldn’t leave his wife to cope with her pain alone.
His head hanging, he took measured steps and lowered himself to the ground beside Olivia, wrapping her in his arms. He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. The faint scent of vanilla made its way to his nose, placating his own fear and turmoil for a brief moment. Their relationship had been fraught with ups and downs from the very beginning, the result of them both being strong-willed and stubborn. But no matter the obstacle, no matter the hurdle, they survived. They found strength in each other. Yes, Olivia needed Alexander to get through this horrific tragedy, but he needed her just as much.
“We’ll get through this, love,” he assured her, his voice barely audible. “I promise you. I’ll call the police and get Martin out here immediately. It could be nothing. She may just be hiding,” he added, his words unconvincing. Despite not wanting to think the worst, in his heart, he knew his little girl had been taken.
“I was having trouble sleeping without you, so I took some cold syrup.” She lifted her head, meeting his eyes. She bit her lip, her chin quivering. “I never should have. If I hadn’t, maybe I would have heard—”
“Shh.” He hugged her tighter. She wasn’t the one to blame here. If anyone was, Alexander felt he needed to shoulder that burden. On their wedding day, he vowed to protect his family, to always put them first. Looking around Melanie’s vacant room, a dozen different scenarios about where she was and who could be responsible circling through his head, he realized he had turned into his father.
“Don’t think about any of that.” He kissed her head once more, feeling so violated at the notion that someone had come into his home, into his sanctuary, and took his world. The dread and unease he had felt since pulling back the comforter on Melanie’s bed quickly turned to anger. His body tensed. His jaw clenched. The vein in his neck pulsed. His voice turned into an animalistic growl.
“I’ll find her, and when I do, whoever took her is going to pay for what they’ve done.”
Chapter Eleven
December 19
9:30 AM
ALEXANDER’S HEAD WAS CLOUDY as his house became a beehive of activity. Martin had arrived almost immediately and began touching base with the parents of all Melanie’s friends, getting word out that she was missing. Police and crime scene techs swarmed the formerly quiet house, snapping photos and dusting for prints, while Olivia and Alexander answered question after question. He grew irritated as the seconds ticked by and the questions became more and more ridiculous. He was wasting precious time when he could be out there trying to find his daughter. He kept glancing at the front door, waiting for her to magically reappear. He knew she was gone, but that didn’t stop him from checking each room in his house over and over again.
“Sorry to interrupt,” a man said, approaching where they stood in the formal living room speaking to a local detective. Alexander looked up, observing he was of average height and build, had short, sandy hair, and the expression on his face was a dead giveaway for someone in law enforcement. Alexander had been around it his entire life and could pick a cop out of a lineup. “My name is Agent Moretti.” He flipped open his wallet and showed his ID and badge. “I work for the FBI out of the field office in Boston. When the local LEOs got the call about a possible missing child, they notified our office since the FBI has a bit of expertise in this area, and due to the probability this will turn into a media frenzy since you’re a high-profile target.”
“High-profile target” was all Alexander heard, as if saying it were his fault Melanie was in this dangerous situation. Crossing his arms over his chest, he widened his stance and peered down at Agent Moretti. Alexander was used to being the one asking questions and calling the shots. The combination of his tall, muscular body and his decisive demeanor intimidated most people. However, it seemed this agent was not most people. He didn’t draw back or blink. His eye contact and stature remained steady, unwavering. There was a smugness about him. He’d barely spoken a word to Alexander, but he already didn’t like him.
“How can we help, Agent Moretti?” Olivia asked, stepping in front of Alexander. She placed a hand on his arm, silently telling him to play nice for the sake of their daughter.
“I overheard you talking about your security system here.”
“Yes,” Alexander replied, taking charge, ignoring the agent’s pompous demeanor. He had to remind himself this agent was here to help, that the FBI had a great deal of expertise in finding missing children. He needed to put his ego aside for a minute and answer every question. It might just bring Melanie back.
“Like I was telling the detective here…” He gestured to the local police officer he had been speaking with before Agent Moretti interrupted. “Everyone who lives here or has access to this house has their own unique code they enter on a keypad before placing their thumbprint on the pad. The code and thumbprint must match before anyone can enter. A keypad and scanner are located at every entry point to the house — the front door, rear door, and garage. When the system is armed, all the windows have sensors that will trigger the alarm if any amount of pressure is applied.”
“I noticed a few small cameras mounted at various points on the exterior of the house. I assume this is all part of your system?”
“Yes.”
Agent Moretti jotted a few notes in his pad, nodding. “Sounds like quite the setup,” he mused.
Alexander didn’t respond. He didn’t appr
eciate Moretti’s backhanded accusation that even the best security system around wasn’t enough.
“Well, I suppose there’s no such thing as being too cautious in your line of work.”
“What does all of this have to do with finding my daughter?” Olivia interrupted. She shifted from foot to foot as she kept glancing at the large clock hanging on the wall. Alexander knew what she was thinking. Melanie had been gone for hours and it seemed as if nothing was getting done, that they weren’t moving fast enough.
“I understand how difficult this is for you, Mrs. Burnham,” Agent Moretti began in a tone that was borderline condescending.
“Don’t give us that speech,” Alexander shot back. He imagined Moretti had given the same one to countless other families desperate for answers, grasping at any bit of information in the hopes of finding their loved one. He wondered how many of the cases Moretti worked on had a happy ending. “Just tell us how you intend to find our daughter.”
Flipping his notepad closed, Moretti shoved it into his jacket pocket. “I’ve called in the rest of the regional CARD team.”
“CARD team?” Olivia asked, her brows furrowed.
“Child Abduction Rapid Deployment team,” Moretti answered, meeting Olivia’s concerned eyes. “I’m leading them. The rest of my people will be on-site within the hour. In the meantime, I’m trying to gather as much information as possible to get a jump start on finding your daughter.” He turned to face Alexander. “Now, these exterior cameras of yours… Do they record?” He raised his eyebrows.
“Yes.”
“Can we take a look at the footage?”
“One of my men has been going through it all morning. He hasn’t found anything yet.”
“Nevertheless, I’d like to take a look at it.”
Alexander widened his stance and glared at Moretti. It was ludicrous to think this FBI agent would be able to see something in those video feeds he or his employees couldn’t. They had advanced training far beyond anything they taught at the academy.
“Need I remind you that, if need be, I can get a court order for it. It’s in your best interest to cooperate with this investigation. I wouldn’t want word to get out that the father of a missing girl refused to cooperate with the FBI. I don’t think it would be very good for your public image.”
Alexander’s nostrils flared at his insinuation. “This way,” he answered with a clenched jaw, leading Agent Moretti out of the living area and down the long corridor toward his private home office.
“Sir,” Martin said as the two men entered the circular room, large windows overlooking a massive expanse of Alexander’s snow-covered property. An oversized cherrywood desk sat in the center, built-in bookshelves boasting a wide variety of hardcover books behind it. Placed on end tables beside a large leather sofa were photos of Alexander throughout the years — with his family growing up, high school graduation, in his navy whites, in some desert in the Middle East, with Olivia and Melanie. The photos showed the progression his life had taken from a troubled boy, to a SEAL, then to a man who finally had everything…until it was ripped away from him last night.
“I’m still going through all the footage,” Martin explained. “I haven’t found anything yet. Since we don’t have a precise window, it could take some time.”
Nodding, Alexander said, “Martin, this is Agent Moretti from the FBI. Agent Moretti, this is Martin. He works for me.”
“Pleasure to meet you,” Martin said, extending his hand.
“Likewise.” Moretti took Martin’s outstretched hand. “If you don’t mind, I’d like to take over from here. Thank you,” he said in dismissal.
Alexander opened his mouth, about to chastise Moretti for ordering his employee around, but stopped. It was becoming more and more difficult to be cooperative. He had to keep telling himself to play along with Moretti’s game in the hopes of finding Melanie.
Meeting Martin’s eyes, Alexander nodded. “Go check on my mother and Olivia. Make sure they’re okay.”
“Yes, sir.” He stood from the desk and walked out of the office, Agent Moretti watching him every step of the way until the click of the door sounded in the silent room.
Moretti pivoted and looked at Alexander with an arrogance he would have given anything to smack off his face. Alexander didn’t want to read too much into it, but he couldn’t shake the feeling Moretti enjoyed some sort of sick satisfaction from ordering Alexander and his employees around.
“Let me ask you,” the agent started, meandering through the office as if it were his and Alexander were an unwelcome guest. “You’re a pretty high-profile guy. You work in a kind of business where it’s probably easier for you to make enemies than friends.”
Alexander remained silent, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with his assessment.
Moretti picked up a small, silver-framed photo of Melanie on her first day of kindergarten a few years ago. She wore a frilly, pastel-striped skirt with white tights, a pink t-shirt, and purple Converse. Her curly brown hair was pulled into two pigtails high up on each side of her head, and she was grinning a brilliant, toothy smile.
For the first time since realizing she was missing, Alexander felt her absence. He had been in work mode all morning, trying to fix what had been done. Now that he had a minute, the reality that Melanie was gone started to sink in. She wasn’t simply over at a friend’s or in school. She had vanished into thin air. A pain unlike any other settled in his chest, and Alexander tried to keep from breaking down in front of the agent.
“Piss anyone off lately?” Moretti asked.
Taking a breath, Alexander pinched his lips together, seething. “Agent Moretti,” he began in a steady voice, “with all due respect, that’s not really any of your fucking business.”
“With all due respect, Mr. Burnham, it is my business. Everything about you is my business right now. Your daughter is missing.”
“And you think I’m to blame?” His voice grew louder, his ears turning red.
“I didn’t—”
“Don’t you think I’ve thought about that? Fuck! All morning, that’s all I’ve been able to think about! Since the day Melanie was born, I’ve been worried sick someone who’s been on the receiving end of one of my company’s contracts would be pissed off enough to hurt her, and me in the process. That’s why we moved out of the city. That’s why we have more security measures in place than most politicians and diplomats, for crying out loud!”
Alexander ran his hands through his hair, tugging at it. He wasn’t thinking clearly. He felt the weight of the world on his shoulders — the guilt, the blame, everything. Reaching into the holster under his blazer, he pulled out a pistol and raised it.
Moretti’s eyes widened as he quickly reacted, drawing his own weapon. For the first time, Alexander saw something other than the sanctimonious, judgmental expression on the agent’s face. As they stood just a few feet apart, their guns pointed at each other, he saw a hint of fear and uncertainty.
Shifting his aim, Alexander fired the weapon over Moretti’s shoulder, hitting the window behind him. Moretti flinched, instinctively covering his head.
“You see that?” Alexander roared.
Moretti spun around, looking at the pane of glass, a bullet lodged in it.
“Bulletproof glass!” Alexander bellowed, taking several cautious steps toward Moretti. “Bulletproof fucking glass in a house where I’m supposed to raise my daughter!” His voice turned despondent, a lump forming in his throat. “Because of me, she doesn’t get to live a normal life. So, to answer your question… Yes, I’ve pissed off a lot of people. The list of possible suspects in my head is a mile long, and every single one would have enough training and expertise to carry out this kind of thing. So if you don’t mind, instead of answering pointless questions, I’d like to get out there and find my daughter!”
“Everything okay in here?” Martin asked, peeking his head into the room, a few officers behind him with their weapons drawn.
“Y
es. Everything’s fine.” Alexander didn’t look his way, keeping his eyes narrowed on Moretti.
“Agent Moretti?” one of the officers asked.
Several intense moments passed, amplified by the ticking of the clock on the wall. Moretti appeared relatively unfazed by Alexander’s emotional outburst. Alexander knew his type. Hell, he was his type. Controlled. Scrupulous. Attentive. Typically devoid of emotion…except when it came to those he cared about and loved. Alexander’s normally hard exterior had cracks only Olivia and Melanie could seep into.
In his professional life, no one questioned him. He ran his company as he saw fit. What he said was law. But here, in the office of his house, Agent Moretti glaring at him with a look that confirmed his original suspicion that Melanie’s disappearance was all his fault, Alexander felt weak. Worse, he felt just as guilty as the man who actually took his daughter.
“Everything’s fine, gentlemen,” Moretti finally answered.
“Yes, sir.” Martin hesitated, then closed the door to the office, leaving the two men once more.
“Let’s look at the camera feed.” Agent Moretti interrupted their stare down.
“Fine.”
Both men put their weapons in their holsters and walked to the desk. Alexander sat in the chair, his eyes scanning the camera feeds on his laptop. Sensing a presence over his shoulder, he glanced behind him to see Agent Moretti hovering, his eyes focused on him and not the laptop screen.
“My company provides security services for a variety of clients,” Alexander explained, trying to clear the tension. If he didn’t know any better, based on the agent’s demeanor, he’d think he was a suspect. “We have a patent on our own top-of-the-line security system, which is what’s been installed here. Security cameras are wired directly into the house’s electrical, but there’s also a battery backup that will automatically switch on in the case of a cut wire or loss of power. The cameras operate independently of the alarm system, so even if that goes down for any reason, the cameras still run. Clients can log in at any time from wherever they are to see real-time video feeds. We maintain a server containing all archived video feeds that can be accessed upon request.”