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"Mr. McLean."

Was someone saying my name? I woke up from my sleep to see the doctor looking down at me. I quickly got myself situated and stood up from my sleeping spot in the chair.

"Yes?" I asked, rubbing my eyes quickly from the nap I had just taken.

He held a clipboard full of paper, and he flipped through the pages of it with his glasses sitting atop the bridge of his nose. "After examining your daughter more and studying x-rays, it turns out nothing is fractured or broken and she will be okay. Just a few bumps and bruises, of course."

I sighed a breath of relief, "Thank God. Thank you, doctor."

I shook his hand. "It was no problem. You can check her out of the hospital at anytime."

I nodded, "Thanks once again."

The doctor walked out of the room and I saw Adelynn was finally awake.

I walked over to her and whispered in a baby voice, "Hi baby. Your face still hurts?"

She scrunched her nose a little bit but she didn't act like she was in pain. I picked her up and held her close.

"Daddy will take you home, baby."

___________________

I had decided just to drive back home with Adelynn. It wouldn't be much of a vacation for her with a big bruised face. I told Brian to go ahead and stay down there Baylee.

By the time we arrived at the house, Adelynn had fallen asleep in the car. Her cheek was already starting to look better and not so bruised.

I was surprised when I saw a car sitting in the driveway. Who was at my house? I pulled up behind the car and got out to "inspect" it. Who's car was that?

Suddenly, my attention drifted over to the side of my house. A tall, black, buff man in a nice suit came walking around the corner and when he saw me, he picked up his pace.

When he got closer I could make out his face and smiled, "Joe? Joe Turner? What are you doing here?"

The last time I had seen the man who had found my daughter was that night in the hospital. I had sent him out a thank you card, but hadn't heard from him since. I figured he had been busy with other cases.

He only nodded at my greeting, "Mr. McLean."

"What's up?" I asked, going up to him and shaking his hand.

"I was told to come and inform you that... well, if you were wondering why I was in the backyard, I had to investigate for clues and..."

"Clues for what?" I butted in.

"Clues linking to Claire Miller's death."

I was stunned. Absolutely stunned. Claire was dead? Holy shit. Wait a minute -- why was he investigating my house?

My eyes opened wide, "You don't think--"

He held his hands up in defense, "I don't think anything. I'm doing my job and what my boss told me to do. I got to know you on a personal level during the time that your daughter was missing. I know you would never..."

"I would never kill anybody! I can't believe people would even accuse me! This is ridiculous! I thought Claire was in prison?!" I had began to yell.

"There was nothing in your backyard, Mr. McLean. I just need to sit you down for some questioning and there will be a search of your house and all will be done. I will record everything you say on tape. There's no reason to worry."

"Fuck, man! I cannot believe this!"

I could hear the faint sounds of crying coming from the car and I had almost forgotten I had left the car running. Adelynn was still in her carseat in the back. I walked over and picked her up, holding her in my arms as I continued to vent.

"I may have hated the woman for what she did but I would never... never... kill my child's mother or any human being."

"Mr. McLean...," he tried to stop me from going off until one final scream from him, "AJ!"

"What?!" I yelled and then took a deep breath.

He had never called me by my first name.

"I know. Believe me, I know. For all we know she killed herself. But it's our duty to investigate every person that had some sort of relation to the woman. Do you understand?"

I nodded. Maybe he was right. He was just doing his job.

"Search my house. Right now. Go ahead."