I squeezed Hadley’s hand but looked at Hayes. “He was here this morning, too. Wants to host a ball to raise money for the fire department.”
“Inserting himself into her life potentially,” Hayes muttered.
“I hate this,” Hadley whispered. “It’s going to make me look at everyone around me differently.”
I pulled her in closer to me. “For now. We’ll catch whoever’s doing this, and then things will go back to normal.”
“Will they? I don’t see how. Everything’s different. Those videos used to be a way for me to connect with people looking to break free. Now, I know how much hate is hiding behind those screens.”
I pressed my lips to the top of Hadley’s head. “It’s not just hate. There’s inspiration and love there, too. I’ve seen some of the videos little girls have made, showing you their first tricks on a bike or skateboard. I’ve seen the hiking trips people have taken because you showed them how amazing it can be. I’ve seen comments thanking you for what you do. Don’t forget all of that.”
Hadley’s eyes shone as she looked up at me. “Love you.”
I brushed my lips against hers. “Always have, always will.”
38
Hadley
I sat huddledon the couch, wrapped in a blanket. Even though night had fallen, it was still relatively warm outside, but I was freezing. I hadn’t been able to get warm since I’d read those text messages.
I couldn’t stop thinking about what made a person say such vile things to a complete stranger. The hate had to be a living and breathing thing inside them. It had to be burning them alive.
My mind drifted again to the anonymous puppet master behind it all. Hayes had found listings on several social media sites with not only my phone number and email but also my physical address. That was what killed the most: that my respite from the world had now been exposed to it. Those vile people full of hatred could walk right up to my front door if they wanted to.
Calder had gone out and bought me a new phone with a brand-new number, but he couldn’t wipe away the words burned into my brain. He couldn’t make my home safe again, though he was trying. He’d already called a security company to put in a gate and cameras.
I just sat here as the world kept spinning around me. Any sort of movement felt like too much. My arms and legs seemed as if they weighed one hundred pounds each, and my head throbbed. I was exhausted down to my bones, but when I’d tried to nap, the words from the messages had danced in my head, taunting me.
The couch dipped, and Sage crawled into the spot next to me. She linked her little fingers through mine. “Love you, Hads.”
“Love you, too, Goose.”
“Want to talk about it? Sometimes, that makes me feel better.”
I leaned my head so that it rested on top of hers. “Have I ever told you that you have the best heart?”
Her mouth curved. “Once or twice.”
“I’m telling you again. Seriously, the best.”
“I’m sorry you’re sad. Dad said some people said mean things to you.”
I winced at the thought of Calder having to explain this to his kids. “Some people are being pretty awful.”
Sage was quiet for a moment, but she tapped out a beat with her thumb on my hand. “There was a girl who was real mean to me last year. She said my mom tried to kill me.”
I sat up straight. “Who?” I didn’t care if she was nine years old. I’d give that little girl a piece of my mind.
Sage shook her head. “It doesn’t matter who, but it hurt. I was sad for a long time, but then I realized she doesn’t really know me. She didn’t take the time to get to know me. If she had, she wouldn’t have said that. I bet these people don’t know you, either.”
I pulled Sage into a tight hug. “You’re the wisest nine-year-old I know. Thanks for reminding me of what I already knew.”
She burrowed deeper into my hold. “We know you and we love you the most.”
My eyes burned for the hundredth time today, but this time, it was happy tears trying to escape. “Love you so much, there’s not a word for it.”
Calder strode into the room from the kitchen, but his steps faltered as he took in Sage and me. “What’s going on here?”