?


    Sasha sobbed so hard I could barely understand her. "I took Nina to the mall after kindergarten," she choked out. "She was right next to me while I was shopping, but I got a phone call. When I turned around, she was gone."


    I frowned. "If it happened in the mall, didn''t they check the security cameras?"


    "They did," she hupped. "They showed her running after someone. Someone who looked exactly like you."


    I let out a bitterugh. "Yeah, no. I''ve been in the hospital for days. Haven''t even stepped near a mall.


    "I know," Sasha mumbled. "I saw the footage. It''s not you-it''s just... someone who looks like you: Nina must''ve thought it was you and followed them."


    Perfect. Trouble finds me even when I''m doing nothing but breathing.


    Still, her words left me uneasy. A Keira look-alike just happens to show up in front of Nina? Was it random-or intentional?


    "Keira," Sasha begged, "do you have anyone in your life who could look like you? Rtives? Friends? Anyone?"


    I''m an orphan-what rtives? The only family I''d reconnected with were Uncle Damien and Aunt Abby. The only person anyone ever said I resembled was their daughter, Narelle. And she was... gone. Long gone. No one else could possibly fit the bill.


    "Look, Thorsten''s already offering a reward, and the cops are all over this," I said, trying to calm her down. "With the inte doing its thing, someone''s bound to find her soon."Text property ? N?vel(D)ra/ma.Org.


    П


    “Are you kidding me?" Sasha practically screamed. "That''s my daughter! My flesh and blood! You think I can just sit here and wait?"


    I got it-Sasha was losing it. I let her scream it out, holding the phone away until she was done. Once she ran out of steam, I quietly ended the call.


    "She suspects you?" Hayden''s voice cut through my thoughts. He was standing right there, obviously having heard the whole drama.


    I sighed, Sasha''s words still swirling in my head. "Doesn''t matter if she does. What matters is that someone''s using my face to stir the pot. Even if Thorsten and Sasha believe me, this is still going to be a mess.


    "Why would anyone use you?" Hayden asked.


    I squinted at him. "What are you saying? That this is some distraction tactic?"


    He didn''t answer directly. "The cops wille looking for you soon." His tone made it


    1/2


    clear what he meant.


    And then it clicked. My jaw dropped. "Oh my God-It was you, wasn''t it?"


    Hayden grabbed my hand, his grip steady. "Wayne and his crew are hunting for the evidence I''ve collected. Right now, with you as the prime suspect, they''ll back off. The cops keeping tabs on you? That''s the safest ce you can be."


    I couldn''t believe this sneaky mastermind. He really went there with this move.


    But since it was for my own good, I let it slide.


    Still, the whole Nina thing wouldn''t stop eating at me. I asked, "So, Nina. Did you have someone take her?"


    "No."


    I believed him. Hayden wasn''t the kind of guy to mess with a kid. But if it wasn''t him, then who? "Then who''s behind this?"


    ''It was Sasha. No idea what her endgame is, but she staged her daughter''s kidnapping. And because of your connection to Nina, she made sure to involve someone who looks like you, just to throw the cops your way."


    I let out a bitterugh. "Wow. You really know how to work a situation in your favor, huh?" "Kiki, I''ve told you before-I''m not letting anything happen to you." His gaze locked onto mine. "I''ve spent my life protecting people, but this time? You''re my priority."