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Shit. How could Candace tell her that? That information was probably all Amber needed to solidify her case in court.
“None of that bullshit with Sabrina was true. Candace didn’t give me time to explain.”
“Well, frankly, I don’t care.”
“You can’t just take her Amber. That’s kidnapping.”
“How is this any different from what you were planning to do, Brenton? You think you can just take my kids from me that easily?”
Amber was speaking loudly and her words were slurring together.
“What are you talking about? Are you drunk?”
“Oh, save it. Candace told me that story too.”
What was Amber doing to get Candace to tell her all this? This was bad, really bad.
“You never wanted custody of them, Amber. You just wanted my money.”
“You’ve tried to screw me out of money that was rightfully mine ever since we got married! I’m sick of it! She’s my daughter and I’m taking her back.”
“I’m coming to get her.”
“The hell you are! You aren’t going to see her ever again! She’s mine! She came out of me!”
Amber didn’t stop for one breath.
“You know what? I don’t really feel like fighting about it in front of a judge anymore.”
Her speech was beginning to slur worse.
“What are you talking about?”
“I’m taking her. No more courts, no more legal fees, no more judges.” Amber laughed, chaotic and unhinged.
“If you take her like this, you won’t get a penny from me!” I shouted into my phone, but Amber had already disconnected.
“SHIT!” I screamed, over and over again.
Amber was off the damn rails. This wasn’t about custody or money anymore. She just wanted to spite me. This was a kidnapping, through and through. She’d go to jail for this. I’d make sure of it, but first I had to find them.
I called the police immediately to report the kidnapping. Samson was at my feet, whining uncontrollably. I answered all of the officers' questions. I told them what Candace looked like, that I wasn’t sure what she was wearing today, places Amber could have taken Candace, that my daughter was just sixteen and that her mother was clearly drunk and potentially dangerous.
“Do you think she’d hurt Candace?” An officer asked me.
“I’m not sure, anymore. Her threats were just verbal before this, but this is the craziest she has ever sounded. I don’t know what she’d do.”
At this point, Amber wasn’t gaining anything from having Candace, aside from sending me into a state of sheer panic. She wouldn’t be able to collect child support payments after breaking the law like this, and prior to this, she didn’t even want the kids around much. This entire situation was so unlike her, which scared me more than I wanted to consider.
“We’ll find her, Mr. McLean.”
They left me with instructions to get to the station in Napa Valley as soon as I could. They’d send officers out to the locations I had specified and they’d go from there. The only places I could think to tell them to check were Amber’s house and her workplace. I was at a loss.
I packed an overnight bag and a few things to give to Candace once we found her. I figured she’d want her favorite sweatshirt to comfort her after all this, along with the stuffed animal she’d had since she was a baby. She often rolled her eyes when I brought it up, and yet, here it was. She had brought it with her when she came to stay with me for the summer.
My eyes teared up at the thought of her clutching this stuffed bunny at various ages. My sweet girl. I placed it in the duffel and shook the tears off. Now wasn’t the time for crying. I had to get her back. I whistled for Samson on my way out and he came running. We got into my truck and took off.
