Ocean Eyes - Maddie Poppe and Caleb Hutchinson Series (Book 3)

Chapter 25

Catie's POV

It's around noon, and I have called and texted Maddie but I can't reach her. Caroline started to get upset about Bella when she saw something about her on the news, so I turned it off quickly, but Caroline wants to go home.

"Okay, I guess I can go ahead and drive you home," I say.

"I'm sorry, aunt Catie," Caroline apologizes.

"No! Don't be sorry!" I tell her, with a small smile.

I make sure Caroline and Allison have everything back in their bags before leading them to the car. I'm still worried sick about Maddie. It's not like her to not respond to calls or texts. I get even more worried when we get to her house and there are a lot of cops there.

"Huh?" The girls say.

"Stay in the car, okay?" I tell them.

They stay in the car while I get up and walk over.

"Who are you?" One of the cops ask.

"I'm Catie. Catie Turner. What's going on?" I ask.

"Why are you here?"

"I had Maddie and Caleb's.. uh.. daughters," I answer after a moment, pointing to my car, "they spent the night at my house last night and I was bringing them home."

"When was the last time you saw or spoke to Maddie?"

"Last night, the girls called her before they went to sleep to tell her goodnight. I've been calling and texting her but she hasn't responded."

"She hasn't responded because she's missing."

"What?!" I exclaim, "how did you-"

"She called the police station last night saying someone broke in, but suddenly hung up so we came right away."

"Have you contacted Caleb?" I ask.

"Caleb?"

"Maddie's husband. He's out of town right now for work. I can call him."

"We've been looking for evidence of who could have done this, and we found something extremely helpful."

"What's that?" I ask.

Another guy comes over, holding a piece of paper in a long zip lock bag. He holds it up for me to see and I gasp. The cop then speaks again.

"Do you happen to know a 'Hayley Russell'?"

"Y-yes I do," I say shakily, "but she's in prison.. how did she-"

Then the guy brings over a pistol. The cop looks at me, "This?"

"Oh, that's Maddie's," I tell him, my heart beating out of my chest.

"Do you know anything else about this Hayley?"

"A long time ago, she shot Maddie. She was obsessed with Caleb and mad at Maddie for being with him."

"Do you happen to know what kind of gun she shot Maddie with?"

"Glock 19, I think," I answer.

He looks over at another cop that just walked up to us, "the same gun used to murder Bella Stevenson."

"What?" My eyes widen.

"We believe Hayley is the one who murdered Bella and kidnapped Maddie."

"I wouldn't put it past her," I say softly, stepping away and pulling my phone out. I click the call button on Caleb's contact and bring the phone to my ear.

"Catie?" He answers.

"Caleb," I breathe out, nervously, "You need to come home as soon as possible."

"What's going on?" He asks.

"Maddie is missing."

Caleb's POV

I get the next flight possible back to Nashville. My heart is beating out of my chest. Maddie has to be okay. And then I think, if I was home, this never would have happened. When I get back to the house, I see Catie standing outside. A few cops standing around as well.

"Catie?"

She removes her hand from her mouth, "Gabby came and got the girls."

"Okay," I say, "what's going on?"

"Last night, Maddie called the cops and said someone had broken in, but she hung up in the middle of the conversation. The cops came over and she was gone, but they found her pistol in the living room. And Caleb.."

"Yeah?"

"Maddie wrote a name on a piece of paper and put in under her pillow. And it's the name of the person that the cops think murdered Bella and took Maddie."

"Who?" I ask.

She stares at me for a moment, "Hayley."