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She directed a look at Ava’s father, searching for some indication he was lying.
He cursed but gave a resigned sigh and shoved it into Derrick’s hands. “Look at whatever you want. You won’t find anything.” Then he turned to his wife, expression filled with contempt. “This is unreal, Lara. You lose our daughter and then you blame me.”
“I’m just trying to find her,” Lara said brokenly. “I thought you might have taken her to force me into signing the divorce papers.”
“Well, I didn’t!” he shouted. “So where is she?”
“I don’t know,” Lara said through her tears.
“Please, Mr.Truman, sit down and calm down,” Ellie said.
He dropped into the chair. “How can I calm down with you accusing me of kidnapping my own daughter?”
Forty
“We haven’t accused you of anything,” Ellie said. “We simply thought you might have Ava with you. And frankly, Mr.Truman, I think your wife was hoping you did because the other possibilities are more concerning.” Terrifying in reality, but she needed to defuse the situation.
He clenched his jaw, his face turning ghastly white. She was sure his mind was going back to Grueler. In his state of mind, Jasper might go after him personally.
“Right now we’ve issued an Amber Alert and are circulating Ava’s photograph and description across the country,” she told Jasper. “We’ve also canvassed the neighbors and your wife has answered all of our questions. We need your cooperation as well.”
He pulled a hand down his face. “I don’t know anything, except that I was planning to see Ava for Christmas when I got back.”
“Where is your girlfriend, Autumn?” Ellie asked, drumming her fingers on her leg.
He slanted his wife a dark look. “I don’t know. We had an argument and broke things off. That’s why I decided to get away for a couple of days.”
Lara’s eyes widened in surprise. “You broke up with her?”
He nodded, his anger fading slightly. “I… with the holidays coming, I wanted to be with Ava. And for maybe us to be a family, at least for the day.”
Lara glanced down at her jagged nails then bit her lip.
Ellie’s fingers went still on her leg. He sounded sincere, but she couldn’t accept his word. “Is that what you and your girlfriend argued about?”
He shoved his scarred hand through his hair, drawing her gaze to the bruises there again. “Yes,” he said. “She wanted me to finalize the divorce. But I… told her I wasn’t ready.”
“You did?” Lara whispered.
“Yeah.” A muscle ticked in his jaw. “She was pretty mad. Said she was going on a trip herself.”
“Did she mention where she was going?” Ellie asked.
He shook his head. “Probably shopping or the spa. Every couple of months she goes to Atlanta and stays in a hotel for a marathon shopping spree.”
Ellie’s mind raced. “Mr.Truman, do you think Autumn might have abducted Ava to get back at you?”
Forty-One
A deep frown darkened Jasper’s eyes. “I… don’t think so, but… hell, I don’t know. She didn’t want kids. She told me to sign away my rights.” His voice hardened. “I told her that was never going to happen.”
Lara’s mouth opened and closed in horror.
“How can I contact her?” Ellie asked.
He gestured to the phone Derrick was searching. “She’s listed in my contacts.”
Derrick tapped Jasper’s cell in his hands. “Curtis didn’t answer. I left a message for him to return my call ASAP.”
