Ava’s little hand went to her mouth, and she chewed on her fingers. Like she had before, at the party, when she had started to fall asleep in Jac’s arms. “He said you’d be my new mommy. Like Aunt Debbie was my old mommy’s new mommy, too. Until he could come back for us. He said you’d make me feel better.”
“Daddy was right. I will take good care of you. How is Livy? Is she not feeling good either?”
Ava whimpered. Jac brushed her hair off her forehead. Ava was still hot to the touch. An ill four-year-old as a witness would never hold up in court. But Ava was now all they had.
“Ava? Where was Daddy taking Livy?” As much as Ava needed the rest, they needed the information from her. Olivia’s very life could depend on it.
“Daddy and Livy were going to move away. Until they came back to get me and you when I feel better. Daddy said you’d be my mommy, and I wouldn’t have to be alone. That he would come back for both of us.”
“Where were Daddy and Livy going to move to? I should probably call Daddy and let him know that you’re ok. That Nat and Kudos found you.”
The little girl smiled, a dead ringer for her own mother’s smile. That jabbed straight into Jac’s gut. Except for the darker hair, Ava would grow up to look very much like Rachel someday. “Kudos is big. And he licked my face lots. Aunt Nat says I can see him again. When I feel better.”
She was wheezing as she spoke. Jac knew enough to read the oxygen stats on the monitor. Emery had asthma, too, but it was reasonably well controlled.
“Kudos is one of the two best dogs in the world,” Jac said, rocking her in the chair as Nat waited by the door.
Max just stood next to the window and listened.
“So where was Daddy going? Was he in his car? Or did he get a car somewhere else?” Max finally asked.
“Somewhere else, Emery’s Daddy.” Ava peeked at him. “There was a old barn. Daddy had to open the doors. He said the bad words. Livy said ssssh and made me be quiet.”
“When was this?”
“Yesterday.”
That confirmed that Olivia was alive as of yesterday. As much as Ava could count as confirming anything. “Where was Livy when Daddy put you on my porch? Did Livy get to see Kudos?”
Ava nodded. “Kinda. She wanted to get out of the car, too, but Daddy yelled at her. He said she had to stay with him. But I had to stay with Aunt Jac.”
“Did he call me Aunt Jac?” She had been Miss Jac before. Because Rachel had introduced her that way.
Ava nodded. “He said. Just like Aunt Debbie took care of my mommy when she was little. He said, he promised, you would take care of me. That he knew you would. He promised. Where’s Emery? Can she come play with me here?”
“Emery is at school right now.”
“Livy is supposed to be at school, too. But Daddy said we have to do homeschool now. Livy is mad. She wants to go back to school with Ruthie and Lucy. And Daddy is going to make my hair yellow like Livy’s. And his. Daddy’s hair is yellow.”
Paul Sturvin had died his hair. She’d send that information along as quickly as she could.
Ava drifted off in Jac’s arms, giving them nothing more. Jac brushed a kiss over her forehead, then looked at her sister. Nat hadn’t left the room. She’d just been quiet the entire time.
Jac kept holding Ava. Jac tightened her arms around the little girl, then turned to her own little sister. “Tell us exactly what happened.”
“I got a partial plate and a description of the car. I’ve already called it in to your Agent Whitman, Jac. Kudos was barking. I ran out to find out why. He led me around the house. I heard the car, visually confirmed it was a white male of around forty years. Matched the description of Paul Sturvin. He was already at the vehicle, and then I noticed the blanket. It was moving. Kudos beat me to her. The car drove away. I could have chased him, but—”
“First priority was Ava—and your safety. You couldn’t chase after a serial killer,” Jac said, probably more sharply than she should have. The idea of her sister anywhere near Paul Sturvin made her sick. “What did she come with? Every detail.”
“The blanket. Obviously a child’s twin-sized comforter. Pink, with puppies and kittens. I had everything sealed and bagged for PAVAD. But the stuffed animal had to stay with her. She was inconsolable without it. She was wearing footed pajamas, but they were fresh. Clean. Still had the factory inspection tag stuck in the left leg. He most likely bought them for her recently.”
“So he has some money. Which fits with the withdrawals found by Dani. She estimates he probably has more than thirty thousand dollars on him,” Max said. He moved to Jac’s side, then leaned down and scooped the now sleeping little girl into his arms. He settled her in the bed while Jac watched.
Max was a natural father. It was so easy for him, even though she had seen the struggles he’d had through the years to make certain Emery had what she needed. Nothing mattered more to him than his daughter.
Maybe some small part of Paul/Philip felt the same.
If Olivia even was his daughter. No one would ever know for sure.
93
Paul wept as he drove. Olivia had cried herself to sleep in the rear seat. She hadn’t wanted to leave her sister; Olivia always mothered Ava when she wasn’t feeling well.
He hadn’t wanted to leave her. Ava was the best of him. Olivia would forever always be a pale second.
Like Philip had
