Bombshell (Hollywood A-List #1)(90)

“Did you close the lounge?”

He got close enough to see me. “You’re the nanny?”

“Yes.”

“It’s on lockdown. The elevators are shut. Please join your party in the lounge.”

“There are low cabinets in the kitchen. She might be hiding in one of them.”

He held one hand out to me and with the other he opened the door back to the kitchen. “Please join your party, miss.”

I walked fast through the kitchen, taking the long way in case she was there, and entered the lounge where all the first-class passengers were now standing, looking distressed.

I stood between Brad and his mother, catching another security guy with gray hair as he put on his most authoritative tone.

“We cannot lock down the entire airport,” he said. “The way we do it is—”

“Fuck your concentric circles,” Brad said.

“I know this is stressful, but—”

“You need to lock it from the outside in, not the—”

“No child has been lost on my watch, sir. I promise you. This happens more often than you think.”

His radio hissed and burped. He held up his finger and excused himself to take the call.

“This is my fault,” I said. “It’s my job to watch her.”

“Let’s not get into that.” He spoke to me, but his eyes were all over the room, as if he was looking for a dropped cuff link. I couldn’t blame him. My attention was on every nook and cranny a little girl could fit inside.

“We were talking about our relationship,” I said, reaching under the buffet and opening the sliding doors. No kid. “What I should have been doing was watching Nicole.”

“Your relationship with me is important to her.”

“Do you think she heard us?”

“I’m sure of it.” He turned to me and took my chin in his hand to get me to look at him. I felt safe and solid when I had his attention. “She’s not in the lounge.”

“How do you know?”

“I don’t know how I know. But we need more eyes out there.” He broke our gaze. “Mom.” He waved her over.

“I think we should pray,” she said.

“Yeah,” Brad said. “Do that. We’re gonna look in the terminal.”

“The lounge is locked.”

“Let’s pray then.” He grabbed the gray-haired security guard, who had just clipped his little radio back to his belt. “My mother needs to get to the chapel. She needs to say a prayer we find her.”

“Yes, sir. Over there are people leaving to board their planes. You can get out that way.”

We didn’t wait for another set of instructions. This lockdown was bullshit. I was sure they were trying, but I was also sure they didn’t want anyone to miss their flight.

“You can’t cut the line,” Erma protested when Brad pushed through the crowd to get out. So many camera phones were pointed in our direction it was a wonder anyone was looking where they were going.

Except Brad, who was unfazed. “Hell I can’t.”

We were out in the terminal in another minute. Erma wringing her hands, Brad holding one of mine. How long had he been holding my hand? Publicly?

I didn’t even care. He needed to hold my hand as tight as he could.

“What were we saying when she was near us?” I asked, hoping there was a clue there.

Brad shook his head, looking over the crowded terminal. People saw him and tittered, or stared, or elbowed their friends. A couple of security guards passed us, all eyes on the corners and walls, looking for a little girl.

“We have to keep moving. Mom, you go that way.” He pointed the same direction the security team went. “Keep your cell phone on. Cara and I will go this way.”

Erma complied, and Brad and I walked. I let go of his hand, but he grabbed it back. He was shaking. I didn’t think I’d ever feel him shake, but for the first time he looked powerless and out of control.

I couldn’t blame him. I felt the same way.





CHAPTER 70


BRAD


I had everything I wanted, but everything I needed was getting torn away. I was trying to hold on to a career I’d fought for, and I was losing something I didn’t even know I needed. Cara was leaving, and Nicole was gone.

I’d never felt so alone. I’d never panicked so hard. I’d never felt so out of control.

“We’ll find her,” Cara said. We weren’t looking at each other, but everywhere, past everything, everyone, watching for a moving object in a sea of movement.

“Sure.” I said it just to say something, but I didn’t know what right I had to be confident. The terminal was endless.

“She’s a survivor. She’ll probably find us.” Cara scanned corners. What would I do without her if I lost my daughter?

Her mother, Brenda, didn’t have a staff. Didn’t have a security detail or tons of time to teach Nicole anything. She’d been an overworked coffee shop employee who sometimes couldn’t find child care. With all that against her she did a great job. She never lost Nicole. She raised a girl who was healthy, smart, and well mannered.

And what had I done? Nothing. Denied her. I never even asked how she was. Never told Brenda what a good job she was doing. If I could do it all over again, I’d make it so Brenda didn’t have to work. I’d free her from her job so she could take care of our daughter full time, and I’d step in and be a part of her life.